Of Haruno and Of Uchiha
by lazy-cerulean
Summary: A story of a girl of both Haruno and of Uchiha, whose eyes are mismatched as to the right one is activated in a bloodline limit called haru and the left is of Sharingan. Full summary inside. SASUSAKU.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter One: The start of the Uchiha chronicles…**

**Summary**: What if Sakura was borne of the Uchiha clan, a distant cousin of Sasuke's? What if she was the clan's disgrace for she was of both Uchiha clan and of the Haruno clan? What if she was the only survivor of the most powerful clan in Konoha along with Sasuke right after the Uchiha massacre? And what if she was the bearer of the spring magic courtesy of the Haruno clan which literally means spring field? What if she was the only shoulder Sasuke can have in his solitude?

Disclaimer: I DoN't own Naruto.

Pairings: Sasusaku, unknown, unknown

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Quiet whimpers filled the whole room, its sounds bouncing against the four corners of the secluded place…

…In a place where two walls joined and where the moonlight barely touched its surface, sat a child who shed crystal-like tears filled with pain. Her emerald orbs glassy and red and fluffy.

A cankering feeling erupted in her full lips and her hair was disheveled and unkempt.

She tried to stop her overflowing emotion, trying to bit back the sobs and hiccups that might erupt from her throat because… she knows that though she was still 6 and a half years old, and young and innocent and naïve, her endless showing of weakness won't stop the pain.

And though she was only a child, she knew full well that she was a traitor since birth. A disgrace to a prestigious clan that is known for their onyx eyes and jet-black hair…

A disgrace that bore eyes whose depths were emerald and whose scintilla was neither mysterious nor intimidating but instead was full of happiness…

A disgrace…

She shook her head miserably, eying the only view the opened-ajar door has to offer.

She quietly thanked her distant cousins for forgetting to close the door because of their anger and so now, she was able to see the night sky of the Christmas Eve, and her eyes somewhat sparkled as the first Christmas snow flakes decided to share its beauty to the earth.

It was her first Christmas alone, and though her parents readied and prepared her for it, she couldn't accept the fact now that she's experiencing it.

Her attention was then caught by a shadow lurking from behind the traditional door; its posture was that of a shy lad hiding.

A giggle escaped her mouth when the boy hesitantly met her eyes with his behind the door, his tiny hands in his pocket, holding something which surface is that of a velvet one.

A tiny smile reached his lips when he invited himself in with, dare I say it, slow, hesitant and shy steps towards the girl who had cried in the corner. He studied her, observed her and that was when he noticed something… Her eyes were bounded by tribulation, her lips dry with sorrow, and her cheeks swollen from a previous slap, her hair messy and unkempt and disheveled.

He eyed her as she shyly removed her pink stray locks that almost covered her features, and that was when he caught the scrapes and scratches and bruises on her tiny arms and legs. His eyes were then illuminated by determination as he rushed to her side and moved for her aid.

His instinct told him to remove the clean bandages he wrapped around his arm that served to bite out the cold.

As he was rolling it around her arms, Sakura shook her head softly and held his arm, telling him to stop before someone sees. Sasuke, being Sasuke, glared at her before continuing on his work. After making sure the bandage was not too tight or not too loose, he kissed it softly.

He smiled at her when his orbs caught her questioning stare. "Okaa-san told me that a kiss can make the pain go away."

He smiled once more when she looked pleased with his answer. He then brought her head on his lap, seeing how tired she looked.

When he saw that she was comfortable already, he started speaking. "I always see you by the lake. I always see you cry under a cherry blossom tree during spring, I always see you smile sadly at the falling leaves during fall, I see you peek from your house's window during fall and..."

He turned to her, and their eyes met. Both had a different smile on their face, Sasuke had a sad smile while Sakura had a longing smile as she listened to his every words. "...And I always see you crying in a corner in here, the main house, every winter."

He took her hand and shook it, "I'm Uchiha Sasuke. What's your name?"

In a weak voice, she muttered, "Sakura Uchi--" her eyes softened. "Sakura Haruno."

His eyes twinkled with inspiration; his anger gave light to his dark orbs when flashbacks returned to his memory… And then… Almost suddenly, he smiled…

"Nice to meet you, Sakura Haruno Uchiha-chan…"

-

Sasuke cast a hopeless gaze at the sleeping young girl on his lap. Casting a small smile at her, he reached out for his pocket and withdrew a white gold necklace he'd been saving for her this Christmas.

Its silver cherry blossom petal locket caught his attention once he noticed its scintilla from the corner of his eyes.

When he observed it in a closer proximity, he remembered the girl with bubblegum hair who used to cry in different places depending on the season.

He remembered that girl -who was currently resting on his lap- who the people from his clan considered a disgrace because of her pink hair and emerald eyes that she inherited from her mother, the pride of the Haruno clan.

He brushed away a lone tear that left her sleeping eyes, then stared at the night sky of Christmas eve… His eyes then softened as he succumb into the darkness of sleep and the light brought about by his dreamland...

_'Click.'_

-

-

-

-

-

He was woken up by the constant calling of his name by his relatives. He knew it was time for the gathering of the representatives for every house and since his family is the pride of the Uchiha clan, his whole family must attend.

Making her comfortable in a futon, tucking her in and giving one last kiss on her bandaged arm, he walked away with a contented smile.

0

Through her closed eyes, Sakura Haruno Uchiha smiled at her sleep. Her subconscious mind made her lips smile for no reason and was currently celebrating at the fact that she had her first new found friend who technically was her 2nd-3rd cousin…

"Sasuke-kun..."

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A/N: First chapter done!!! Yay!!! Now tell me if it's okay and if there is a need to continue it. I'll update after a week.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Spring childhood…**

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"Summons are performed with a summoning jutsu or any variations thereof. Before summoning can be executed, the summoner signs a contract using her/his own blood…" Sakura paused as she marveled at the new knowledge she's currently acquiring.

She rolled the scroll open for better access. It was the scroll Sasuke let her borrow yesterday after he went home from school. She looked up at the alarm clock on her bedside table, and noted that Sasuke is supposed to be there after 3o minutes.

She smiled impatiently. She can't wait to ask Sasuke all the questions she's been mentally taking down for him to answer. Besides, he is his batch's rookie.

Sakura then brought her eyes back to the writings in the scroll, trying to kill time…

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Sasuke excitedly rushed to his room, drop his things off, and got what he needed under his bed. He tucked the box under his arm protectively before running towards a remote house far from his house but within the Uchiha compound.

He invited himself in and ran to the place where he knew he'll find her. Excitedly opening the door and forgetting for a moment that he was a pure-blooded Uchiha, who was known as mysterious and intimidating, he called out her name, almost shouting in excitement.

As if on cue, a bright smile erupted from the corner of her lips as she raised her eyes to see a panting dark-haired boy by her bedroom door. Dropping the scroll for a moment, she went to hug the boy in greeting.

Sasuke, in turn, ran his fingers through her luscious pink hair.

"Sakura," He breathed as he stepped back to smile at her. "Sakura, its Hina Matsuri tomorrow. And…"

Sakura's eyes twinkled at the words 'Hina Matsuri' and took Sasuke's hands and led him in turning and spinning around the room with her in a dream-like state. Her ears paid no heed on Sasuke's next words. She also let her mouth tell her emotions.

"Really?" Sakura gasped then, "When I was younger, my father bought me very very very pretty kimonos and very very cute dolls!!!"

Then she stopped. A sad smile on her childish and innocent face.

"But father… they said he will be gone forever and that it will take a veeeery long time before I am able to go with him…" she smiled sadly, she was as if about to cry. "And… I don't have kimonos anymore… but!"

Her mood changed, her sad smile became happy again. "But I know Sasuke-kun will help me in my studies instead of wasting time, right?"

"Iie. (No)" Sasuke shook his head. Sakura bit back a sob. "Demo (But)…" He smiled.

"Instead, we'll celebrate it together. My mom brought out the kimono she used to wear when she was a child and told me to let you wear it."

"Your father wasn't mad about that?"

Sasuke brought a finger to his lips. "It's supposed to be a secret and, when you wear it," his voice turned octave lower in a quiet whisper, "Otou-san won't recognize it for he didn't know it existed in the first place."

Sakura giggled, then, her eyebrows looked crunched up as her hands snapped down to touch her tummy.

"Ne, I'm hungry." Sasuke responded with a soft chuckle.

"Let's go to Ichiraku's. My treat and besides, I'm sure we will find Iruka-sensei there. We'll ask him to teach you."

"OKAY!!!"

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Ichiraku's...

"Mmmm! Yummy!" Sakura said, slurping her ramen. Sasuke quietly agreed as he finished his bowl of ramen.

"TEME!!!" they heard someone yell. The two looked back to see a blonde haired boy sitting on an older man's shoulder.

The older of the two smiled warmly at them.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke-san. Whose this fair young child with you?"

Sasuke nodded in greeting, and, when his and Sakura's eyes met, he replied, "She's Sakura Haruno-"

He paused as Sakura held her breath. "-Uchiha."

The man, Iruka, smiled warmly at her, putting his trained ninja hands on top of her head. "Sakura it is. Nice to meet you, Sakura-san."

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After that encounter with Sasuke's teacher, Sakura felt very happy for the man, Iruka-sensei, promised to train and teach her after classes and to top it all, Sasuke said he'll accompany her so that when she's learning, he'll be finishing his assignments.

The next day…

Sasuke patiently waited for Sakura, who was putting on her kimono with Ino's help. He heard quiet gasps as if Sakura was hurt which is in a way, true since Ino was fixing her hair.

After what seemed hours, Sasuke sighed in relief as he heard the door open.

His eyes twinkled when he saw Sakura in a cerulean kimono with what seemed an arabesque design in it. Her hair wearing the traditional comb and it sparkled beautifully. Ino, as well, is wearing a purple kimono. They smiled brightly. "Let's go?"

Sasuke nodded and together, the two Uchihas held hands, said a quiet thanks to Ino and walked off to the park, leaving Ino in her own.

-

As she watch them run together, Ino's face darkened…

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"What's that?" Sakura asked innocently, making Sasuke almost choke out.

With a small smile though, he raised up the 'thing' he's been holding, making Sakura observe the 'thing' with furrowed brows.

Then, she almost cried out, "It's melting!!!"

"Of course it's melting, baka. It's made of ice," he held it higher, "See?"

Sakura said a quiet 'oh', then giggled. "It's pretty!"

Sasuke then snorted. "Everythings pretty for you."

He handed her the pink 'thing', grinning.

"Here's your strawberry ice cream."

Sakura happily took it, bringing it to her mouth. She let out a sigh of contentment. "Delicious!"

Her eyes stared at the one Sasuke is holding, it was white. "How does that tastes like?"

"Vanilla," he replied nonchalantly, licking his ice cream.

Sakura beamed. "I wanna taste it!"

Sasuke immediately turned his body in the opposite direction, his eyes danced in a mocking way. "Yadda! (No way!) You have yours!"

Sakura grinned, "But I want to taste it…"

Sasuke looked at his ice cream and sat nearer to her, raising it to Sakura's mouth. Sakura happily leaned and licked his ice cream.

'_Click.'_

-

Soon, you'll find the two Uchiha angels near the river bank, letting flower offerings situated on a paper boat run with the flow of the river.

Sasuke showed her some things he learned in his school, and Sakura tried to imitate him. Sasuke laughed so much during that time, especially when Sakura messed up with the basic techniques…

_'Click.'_

They went home drenched with the cool river water and as soon as they entered the Uchiha compound, someone forcefully pulled her away from the boy.

That someone was Haueto Uchiha. Her face was flushed, telling the girl without mouth opening that she was angry… **very**.

She blocked Sakura's view of Sasuke, but somehow she caught sight of him, slowly disappearing from her sight. Slowly… Slowly….

**'Slap!!!'**

Sakura stood frozen on the ground, her tears unconsciously falling from her eyes. She looked up at the woman hovering above her, and she did the most unsuspected thing...

She smiled at her, knowing her own fate from this very second.

--

Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed in frustration and anger as he stared at the woman currently slapping Sakura continuously in irritation.

His hands clenched so tight it almost drew out blood. 'Uncle', then, tugged harder at the defiant child, which was Sasuke, who unconsciously had his eyes flash black with streaks of red, due to his undeveloped Sharingan.

Taking one last look at Sakura before entering his household, he sighed in defeat. _'Life's Spring time is over. For us, that is.'_

"Sakura…"

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A/N: Um... Don't be angry if the chapter's like this. This a chapter made to prepare something... Which is located on the next chapter.

Childhood scenes will only take 4 chapters for the least... I'll update sooner... **Maybe thursday, Philippine's time...**

So please be patient and bear with me...

And please review... They inspire me...

Hugs n' kisses,

Kaoru Masachika

(pure-cerulean)


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter three: ****Juvenile**** Affliction**

Pain, when shared, can turn to comfort.

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**_R&R_**

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Sasuke's eyes stayed glued in the ground. His steps were teeter; his aura, gloomy.

Yes, he was depressed because of his father's comment about his grades this semester but he was more depressed about what happened a month ago, when he and Sakura returned home.

He never felt so guilty for someone before…

_'I never thought such a small occurrence would desperately lead to something hideous and __despica__—Wait! What did I say?'_ he sighed. _'Now I'm getting too deep about this. I have to see Sakura-__**chan**__ before going to school--- to ease my nerves.' _

He raised his head to face the sky, _'It's been a month now. I need to see her. How is she? What are they doing to her?'_ He sighed.

Then he stopped walking, before him was the exit of the compound. His lips formed a smile when he caught a glimpse of something pink. He turned to see her behind a tree, her head tilted to the side so that he'll only see her face, and she wore a sweet, weak smile.

He walked towards her, and her eyes widened.

"Stop!"

His eyes narrowed, but never did he stop.

Sakura became nervous. She fiddled with her fingers as he came nearer to her.

When he was a feet away from the tree, he sighed. He raised up his hands in a mock surrender. His eyes, however, observed the visible part of her.

He sighed again, this time in contentment, seeing no serious injury on Sakura, whose face was clean and whose skin was neither pale nor reddish.

He waved goodbye at her, which she returned with a smile.

When he disappeared from sight, she stepped away from the tree's shade.

She winced in pain at her small movement and then, she touched where it hurts the most… her back was filled with marks due to constant whipping.

"Sakura-san." A deep, masculine voice with a feminine touch reached her ears and she turned to the tree's branches, where the intruder sat nonchalantly.

She quickly brought her knees to the ground, her forehead almost touching it.

"Itachi-san."

She heard a mellow chuckle. "Why is a seven-year-old lass beaten up?"

His face darkened, but his lips formed a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry. I won't let such happen again. You're still an Uchiha no matter what and you can be stronger than anyone else. I'll make sure you live to your fullest."

Sakura tilted her head to the side in confusion. He stared at the azure sky.

"The most loathed person is the most powerful one and in the end, she holds the future of the present and renews what past we hold."

And with a blink of an eye, he disappeared from Sakura's sight.

Sakura, being the child so innocent and naïve, shrugged it off with a sad smile, not knowing what the older one meant by the way he uttered every words… Not knowing what could happen because of his hands.

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TT

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His eyes were puffy from continues crying.

His nose was red and his throat was sore. He was on all fours, panting for air.

Then, he stood up, gave one last look at his dead parents before running away, but, the vile sight of the Uchiha massacre continued to seep through even with his eyes closed.

-

After some time of running, he came to a halt. He panted so hard, his emotions flooding in his eyes.

Then, he turned with a swift motion and sprinted towards a remote house that stood in solitude, unharmed and of no blood or any touch of destruction.

He searched desperately for any living thing that might have been spared by Itachi.

And when he found none, he didn't let reality slap him so he ran where she would always cry under a Sakura tree during spring. He arrived in no time. But…

Once again, he forced his legs to a halt; he forced a cessation of leg movement and restrained himself from breaking down…

Afterwards, when he found strength to walk and had already controlled his emotions, he did what other options he has: He approached her.

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She heard a rustle of leaves, sensed a movement and felt the sensation of winter, its cold, dark aura of grief, of distress, and of anguish... And when she raised up her head for her eyes to meet his, he met orbs that looked lifeless.

Her eyes seemed an endless glass of mirror with streaks of dark aura.

Her face clearly showed fear when she saw him, and a pitiful sob escaped her throat when Sasuke hugged her as she cried… as he cried…

-

He held her tightly, afraid that she'll vanish like the others, afraid of losing everything that was left for the moment.

-

Sakura clasped her fingers on his shirt, crying hard.

-

And even though their whimpers and sobs blended with the wind's rhythm, every living thing around them knows and they know that nothing can bring the pain away, that nothing will come back for them.

No one can fill the gaping hole in their hearts anymore.

And despite their brief understanding of death, they are still the 7 year-old children that weren't suppose to experience such in a tender age…

They are still the 7 year old children that will be locked up in the nightmares of tonight no matter how they grow and mature.

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After calming themselves, together, they buried their clan members despite their weakened knees which they are afraid of breaking down at any moment.

But they didn't care, they promise to be together, to hold each other in such times.

And though as funny as it may seem, the promise was sealed by a pinky finger and it will be imprinted in the memoirs written in here, in their hearts… Right here… where it hurts the most……

And as sad as it may seem, it is a **Juvenile**** Affliction. **

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**A/N:**

**There!** I updated on time! Hooray!

ano... um... Minna...

Ne, don't be angry if there are many changes in the massacre. Sakura is there after all.

And though I don't own Naruto, I own this fanfiction... So, don't be angry or wrathful if the story is a bit... okay maybe not a bit... changed...

Please... Review... This is the second to the last juvenile chapter after all... And after this, no more juvenile chapters so... well... that's it... But technically, there will be flashbacks...

Again... Review okay?

And oh... maybe I'll update next week or next next... So take your time...

Hugs n' kisses,

Kaoru Masachika (pure-cerulean)


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Why is life unfair? No idea.-sigh- Anyhow...

YAY! I updated already. REad and review.. PLEASE?

TT

**--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Chapter Four:** Together… Forever?

"Say you won't leave me! Say it!"

"I-I…"

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The bitter wind blew, and danced sadly through every houses… The nightingales never had the strength to bring out out their wonderful voices from their throats… The moon was covered by the great clouds, marking the cruel night.

However, beyond the eerie and quiet environment, is an extraordinary occurrence that prevents normal eyes to see through what's underneath the underneath.

Beyond the silence, were frantic leaf ninjas who had started suspecting the unusual scene that unfolded through their eyes.

As they neared the empty compound, the formidable smell of the bitter liquid reached their nostrils, which eventually triggered their lymphatic system.

It was the bitter smell of… blood.

The trained nins examined everything, but never did they see any traces… Any bodies…

It took an hour before they finally took off, and exigently stopped upon reaching the vast unoccupied land of the Uchiha's.

What made them stop?

It's just that, the _vast unoccupied_ land of the Uchiha's was full of mounds… Mounds that's all too familiar. They seemed to stay glued on the ground as Konoha's biggest lost seeped in their brains. Some looked away from the… vile sight.

"Let me through!" A strong, womanly voice ordered and the frozen ninjas moved away, creating a small way in the middle.

As soon as Anko made her way through, she, too, stood frozen. Her eyes widened as the traces they've been looking for almost an hour suddenly showed up.

Within a few moments, she finally composed herself, acted accordingly and shouted orders.

"You, report to Hokage-sama!"

"Hai." The ninja answered, before disappearing into thin air.

"You! Gather your group and examine this place. The rest, search if anyone survived!" she shouted as she, as well, run around, scrutinizing the environment.

Her eyes stopped scanning, and a sudden cessation of leg movement took place when she saw the pitiful sight…

It was like a picture you'll never imagined to see in the real world, in reality… A picture of two innocent children whose cheeks were tainted with traces of tears… of fear…

Whose hands were dirtied by mud…

A picture of faces painted magically with pure sorrow and hatred as they held each other in their sleep…

Anko's eyes softened, as she walked towards them… She reached out to touch the younger one, and that's when her eyes widened in surprise.

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Sasuke Uchiha gripped the wrist of the unsuspecting female, and then, he spoke, almost snarling, with his words dripping with venom and hatred. "Do. Not. Touch. Her."

Anko's eyes softened as she nodded.

Sasuke gave one last glare at her, before turning his attention to the girl beside him, brushing away the hair that fell over her eyes.

Sakura stirred as he wiped her damp cheeks with the back of his hand. Satisfied, his mind and body unconsciously shut down due to tiredness and too much stress…

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Soon enough, the older of the known surviving Uchihas stirred and slowly opened his eyes only to meet a blinding artificial light. His eyes suddenly widened when he felt no Sakura around him.

He quickly went out of the room only to be stopped by two chatting medic-nins.

"I heard that the Uchiha clan was massacred." One said.

"Yeah. There were two survivors found, though." The other replied.

"Ah. Yes. But I heard that the boy had an older brother, right?"

"Yeah."

They sighed simultaneously.

Sasuke's eyebrows met in anger. _'I'll make Itachi pay. I'll avenge my clan. I'll kill him for murdering them… I'll kill him for making her cry.'_

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Sakura stared up to see Sasuke enter her hospital room.

She smiled weakly at him as he climbed on her bed. Sasuke smiled back, but his eyes told otherwise. His distant eyes made her look down.

She knows that it was her fault..._ All her fault_...

She suddenly found her voice.

"Ne, Sasu-kun, how are you feeling?" she flinched at how her voice sounded squeaky.

"I-I'm fine." He replied, trying to be strong in front of her.

He smiled at her. "After… After this… I'll… buy you an ice cream, o-okay?" Sakura nodded. "What... what flavour would you want? Strawberry as always?"

Sakura bit back a sob.

"Or would you like to taste-"

Sakura couldn't take it. She hugged Sasuke tightly, patting his head.

"Sasuke-kun, it's okay…You can cry. You're still strong though… Don't worry." Sasuke's eyes widen, then his vision blurred as tears flooded his eyes, and a sorrowful cry escaped his throat, but, as soon as the sound escaped his throat, it dried out.

And... never did his tears touched his cheeks, for they were never shed.

Sakura's eyes softened. She reached out and touched his cheeks.

Her lips trembled as she spoke, "Why... Why won't you cry?!"

"I can't..." Sakura cried. "Don't make me..."

"Sasu-kun?" she choked out as his hands gently removed hers from his face. "Nande?(Why)"

"I just can't, Sakura. I'm already too weak... Too foolish to cry."

_'Foolish little brother...'_

_'Little brother...'_

_'Brother...'_

Sasuke looked down, glaring at his hands, clenching and unclenching it.

"Too foolosh..."

"Stop that! Just... Stop it!" Sakura screamed, her tears continued flowing down her face.

"You're not foolish!" she whispered. "You never were and..."

Her face became hard. "You'll never be! You are smart... Very very! You're strong and I know that you know that!"

Sasuke looked up and stared at her pools of emerald orbs. They were sparkling with emotions... Nothing like the endless glass of mirror he once saw in her eyes...

And... almost suddenly... he smirked at her.

"You're such a cry baby."

She gasped, her gaze went almost suddenly at his orbs of charcoal. Her jaw literally dropped. His smirk widened.

Sasuke closed her mouth, and with a chuckle, he said in a teasing tone, "Wouldn't want a mouse to mistake it as its home."

Sakura wiped her damp cheeks then, punched him playfully. "Meanie!"

Sasuke chuckled and shook his head, as Sakura crossed her arms over her torso, stucking her tongue out.

"Haruno... Sakura?"

Sakura's head shot up at the mention of her name. "H-Hai?"

"Your auntie has come to get you..." the medic nin informed.

Sakura's eyes widened.

Sasuke immediately went in front of her in a protective manner, glaring at the medic nin.

The nin chuckled nervously as she stepped back to reveal a beautiful woman. She was wearing a dark purple kimono and her hair was put up in a messy bun. Her face radiated happiness.

Sakura's face was blank but her eyes held her deepest emotions. It was filled with confusion at the moment. The woman smiled, her arms outstretched.

"Come, hime-sama. Let's go home." she coaxed, as Sasuke's glare intensified.

"Damire!" he yelled. "Sakura won't come with you!"

He turned to face Sakura and held her by her shoulders. "Say you won't leave me! Say it!"

"I-I..." Sakura stammered, her eyes glassy with salty tears.

_Flashback:_

_Sakura sat by the river, playing with some wet rocks._

_Suddenly, someone yelled and she looked up only to see rocks flying towards her._

_She closed her eyes tightly, preparing herself from the impact, but instead, she felt someone's hand messing up with her hair._

_With an eye closed, she looked up and immediately fell into the boy's endless obsidian orbs. He raised his free hand to let her see the rocks thrown at her a while ago._

_"No one will hurt you again, as long as I'm here, Sakura-chan." he grinned._

_"Will you... protect me?" He nodded. _

_Her face became determined. "Then say it! Say you would protect me."_

_He became silent. "I... will protect you."_

_She smiled contently at him. _

_He grinned slyly at her. "But you must promise something for me too." _

_Her emerald orbs then were illuminated with curiosity._

_"What is it, then?" Sakura asked, as she turned her head to face the sun, which was slightly covered by thin clouds. Sasuke smiled as he watched her reaching for it, closing her fingers as if she was able to reach it. _

_He looked at the sun as well. "Say that... Say you won't leave me." _

_Sakura immediately turned to look at him with a confused look, which made Sasuke's hope somewhat falter. 'She doesn't get it...'_

_He smiled at her. "Never min-"_

_"What made you think I would leave you, you silly Sasu-kun?" Sakura chuckled. _

_Sasuke's eyes widened. Then, he smiled. "Say it, then."_

_Sakura took a deep breath, then smiled. "I won't leave you."_

_"Pinky promise?" Sasuke asked, bringing up his pinky finger._

_"Pinky promise." she replied, intertwining her finger with his as their thumbs met._

_End of flashback._

Sakura's eyes flared. She glowed with determination. "I won't leave you... Never." she decided. She took a deep breath as her glare intensified.

"I won't leave you, Sasu-kun!" she said, this time, louder.

"Good." he muttered, then, he performed several hand seals. He gathered air in his chest, then infused it with chakra.

"Katon: Gōkakyū no Jutsu!" he yelled, breathing out a massive fireball.

The woman acted immediately and moved her hands to form hand seals.

It resulted to a huge water barier that came out at the mention of the improvised "Water Type: Water Barrier Wall."

The woman smirked in triumph but it dropped in a menacing scowl.

The children have escaped!

She clenched her hands tightly that it almost turned white. She looked at the broken window angrily.

"HARUNO SAKURA!!!!!!"

:3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3

Sakura giggled as she and Sasuke heard the angry woman's yelling, and with her pouted lips, she said, almost sarcastically,

"It's Sakura Haruno Uchiha, my dear auntie."

:3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3

:3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3 ;3

**A/n: Early announcement.**

**Minna-san**. I would update next next week. Why? My GOSh! It's so, like, our term test! Our final term test... then... vacation!!! YAY!!

-chuckle-

HEHEHE... till next time, minna-san.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter five:** LOVE and live…

**R & R!!**

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"Ano, S-Sasuke-kun, please take this. I made it specially for you."

A sparkle of hope illuminated her purple eyes, but it vanished as soon as her orbs met his blank ones…

"Eto… Sasuke-kun…" Another said, her head bowed down, her cheeks flushed up. "Ano… I like you very much! Go out with me!"

But, they know that as long as those emerald eyes are watching the little scene, his eyes will continue becoming cold and distant. They then stared hopefully at Sasuke, before turning to glare at the source of their frustration.

A quiet chuckle escaped her lips. And with a small sigh, she let her legs move her towards a forest so familiar to her.

_**You don't run with the crowd  
You go your own way**_

"_I lived to kill… kill…"_

"Eh?" Emerald eyes snapped, looking desperately for the source of the voice.

"Eeeeh?!" she murmured in panic.

"Where are you?" she called out. "Helloooo!"

Her fingers twitched… The soft murmur of the Sakura trees reached her ears… And…

With a graceful twirl of her finger, a portal appeared. Her arms reached out instinctively and as her fingers brushed against its surface, a ripple was created.

Soon enough, the surface became calm once more, making a presence known… For behind that portal is another place…

She trembled in anticipation and when she looked down, he saw a boy, the same age as she is, sitting nonchalantly.

Her eyes softened as emerald orbs met forest green ones. He stared blankly at her, as his eyes shined with illusion. "Kill and live… Kill…"

Sakura smiled at him, waving a finger as if saying that it's wrong. She then whispered, "Love… and live."

And like that, they stared at each other's endless orbs…

"Love… and… live…?" he repeated as his eyes softened even in a split second.

"Hai. Love and live." She said, giggling at his innocence. She then held out her hand.

"Ano… Watashi wa Sakura Haruno Uchiha. Anta dare? (Who're you)"

He smiled. "Subaku no Gaara."

"Yoroshukun! (Nice to meet you!)"

"Sakura!" a voice called out.

"Uh-oh." She said, facing the direction where she came from.

"Uchiha-sama has noticed my disappearance." She muttered sarcastically. She then turned to her new friend. "Ma(Well), Ja ne!(I'll see you soon)"

"Sayonara (Goodbye)"

Her warmth left like the portal she created. The portal had slowly shattered into pieces like a broken mirror and when the last piece disappeared, a touch of magic made the kanji on his forehead glow.

And though nobody can see it, Gaara of Sand inwardly smiled as he repeated what she told him.

"Kill……. Love and live only for you, hikari(light)."

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"Where did you go?"

"In a place…"

"What place?"

"I dunno… but… I do know…. Muahahahaha." Sakura playfully said, making Sasuke confused.

"Are you sure?"

"Betsuni. (Not really)" Sakura muttered, walking towards… home.

Sasuke's gaze followed her, confused at her… giddy behavior. With one last look at where she came from, he smiled, shaking his head.

"You silly little Sakura." He muttered, smirking at her.

"Oi slowpoke! Hayaku, baka onii-sama. (Hurry, stupid big brother)" Sakura yelled in a distance. He raised a brow at her, then smirking at her playful behavior. Shaking his head, he said in teaseful voice of his,

"Hai, hai Sa-ku-ra-hi-me-sa-ma. (princess Sakura)." Her eyebrows twitched.

"Urghh! Hontou ni teme!(Really bastard)" she said, running off as Sasuke chased after her.

_**You don't play after dark**_

_**You light up my day**_

A sudden cessation of movement was brought up as she looked aroun her. Sasuke was no where to be found, but she's very sure he won't loose her easily. Deciding to wait for a while, she went towards a swing she found which was hanged on a tree branch. She stopped as soon as she saw that it was occupied.

Currently sitting at the swing was a a boy with beautiful cerulean eyes and spiky blonde hair. Time seemed to stop around her when their eyes met.

His eyes seemed so lonely…

"Ice cream?" a mellow voice reached her ears which eventually put her off a dream-like stance, and as an ice cream was forcefully shoved into her mouth, she knew that the solitude in the boy's eyes weren't a dream. She smiled at her silliness for forgetting that those same eyes were the eyes of the two known left Uchihas.

"Silly."

Sasuke then dragged her towards home, and with a last glance at the boy, a knowing smile was brought to her lips.

Note: 'Oi' is only used by men which apparently means hey.

--

**A/n:**

**Gomen, ne, minna-san. I wasn't been able to update in the promised time. Demo, I was really busy the past days so, Gomenasai!!**

**Don't worry. I'll update as soon as I can! Thanks for reading and please do review. This is just a short chapter but I'm happy to say that sakura has now many oni--**

**Ah…ahahaha… gomen… I'm… saying too much.**

**Sayonara, until my next update.**

**Hugs n' kisses**

**Kaoru Masachika**

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	6. Chapter 6

Kaoru: Konnichiwa minna-san. Sorry for the late update. Well if you have questions, please be free to ask.

Sakura: Before Kaoru-chan forgets, please don't mind the minor changes in Naruto. -eyes Sasuke menacingly- Your line please.

Sasuke: -grunted- Kaoru -stares awkwardly at the glaring Sakura- chan doesn't own Naruto.

Kaoru: Hai, hai.

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**_Chapter six: Welcome, Sakura-chan!_**

**Sasuke's POV**

I entered the room quietly, afraid that the occupant might already be asleep. I smiled inwardly to see Sakura still awake, staring blankly at the covered window. I clicked my tongue to get her attention, and I felt my eyebrows furrow when I received no reaction.

I proceeded on going beside her, and drawing open then curtains. I stared at the clouds moving smoothly in the night sky.

"If you stay up later than bedtime, you'll develop circles around your eyes." I teased. "You wouldn't want a bad impression, now do you?"

My gaze went back at her only to see no reaction. I've been expecting to receive a sarcastic comeback from her, but unfortunately, she's inside her own world.

I sighed in discontent as I watched the clouds uncover the moon. I turned my gaze on her and stared at her for a moment as the moonlight touched her face. I scowled involuntarily at her next words…

"Pan-da…(-)"

--panda/gaara-

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The scowl that adorned my features last night never left my face as I slowly drank my milk, whilst savoring the taste tingling in my tongue. I slowly opened one eye, noticing a presence sneaking behind me.

I called out the name of the intruder whilst using a low voice indicating my mood. "Sakura."

The said girl pouted like a 5-year old child while taking her seat across me. She shot me an annoyed glare.

"You didn't wake me up." She pointed out bluntly. I raised a brow at her before speaking.

"I did, dumbass. It just happens that you sleep like a rock." I pointed out, taking another sip.

"Well, excuse me for sleeping like a rock," she paused, and then continued with a whiny voice. "And I certainly am not a dumbass, you bastard!"

"..."

"..."

I put the glass down nonchalantly, then stood up, leaving a dumbstruck 10 years old behind. As I exited the door, I let my bangs fall over my eyes to hide unnecessary emotions.

In the corner of my eyes, I knew I saw Sakura standing frozen on her spot. I noticed how her eyes turned from sharp, stunned ones to poignant, soft ones.

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**Normal POV**

Ino stood longingly behind the crowd, watching as the apple of her eyes nonchalantly ignored the high-pitched squeals around him.

Her throat tightened as the wind blew through those dark raven locks, making it seem dancing with the wind's rhythm. She felt a blush creep on her cheeks as she watched even the tiniest movements that he made.

After what seemed forever, she smiled naughtily as she pushed her way through the crowd, glaring menacingly at those who dared complain.

She flipped her hair gracefully, as her lips formed a smile.

"O-ha-yo, Sasuke-kun."

Sasuke grunted in reply. He was about to make his way out and walk away from the room when Iruka-sensei entered the room energetically, smiling at every students who caught his gaze. "Ohayo, minna. (Good morning everyone)"

He winked at Sasuke deliberately which Sasuke returned with a small nod. The girls surrounding the class' kawaii bishounen immediately went back to their seats. Iruka cleared his throat, preparing for the announcement.

"I know this might be a little awkward since we're already in the middle of the school year, but, this may be better than doing this next year. With a little training within 3 years, I finally concluded that her knowledge and abilities are the same level as yours."

He paused dramatically whilst eying the confused faces of his students. He smiled when he caught Sasuke impatiently drumming his fingers against the table.

"I would like to introduce you to your new classmate, Sakura Haruno Uchiha."

Sakura entered with a smile.

"Ohayo, minna-san. Watashi wa Sakura Haruno Uchiha des. Hajimimashite!" she said sweetly while eying the whole class.

(I am Sakura Haruno Uchiha. Pleased to meet you!)

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"Sasuke-kuun!" Sakura giddily called out as she ran towards the said guy who was peacefully sitting on a tree branch while eating an apple. He doesn't seem to take notice of her so she just quietly sat on the ground, finally taking note of his current mood.

She eyed him quietly, pondering on what the matter is.

She thought of the things they have done together, the playful quarrels they engaged in and the times they didn't see each other but nothing seemed to make her feel wrong.

Sasuke on the other side, continued to put on a poker face. With Sakura's occassional stares and those downcast eyes, he couldn't help but feel bad. As he was about to make up with her, something or someone caught both Uchiha's attention.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

"Chan?" Sakura wondered as her eyes caught familiar cerulean eyes and blonde hair. She smiled at the familiarity.

"Ore wa Uzumaki Naruto. I'm one of your classmates." he said enthusiastically with a grin. Her smile widened.

"Hajimimashite." She then raised ber bentou(packed lunch). "Wanna eat?"

"Hai(affirmative word/yes)" he said, happily taking some. "Itadakimasu (Said before eating)"

Sakura suddenly faced Sasuke who jumped down the branch.

"Sasuke-kun?" she asked worriedly, watching him as he walked away from them.

He came to a halt, and tilted his head to Sakura's direction. "I'll... talk to Iruka-sensei."

Sakura bit her chopsticks as her eyes became dull. She felt lonely with Sasuke ignoring her.

She suddenly looked up when she felt someone put his hand on top of her head. She stared at Naruto, who was looking at the azure sky.

"Daijobu. (It's all right)"

Sakura nodded.

"Dai... jobu." she muttered.

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**Ino's POV**

I watched him walk away from her and I somewhat felt happy, though I don't know why.

I froze when he glared at me, kedo(but)...

I smiled.

Then suddenly, my lips twitched downwards and by that time I know that a frown became evident.

I shouldn't smile, now should I?

I chuckled darkly.

I will vow that from now on, a smile won't twitch in my lips as long as he didn't smile.

I vow, as well, to hurt anyone who erases the very existance of his smile, even if it's the only family left of him.

END OF CHAPTER

TBC

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Author's note:

Ano...

Gomen for the grammatical and spelling errors/ syntax errors.

Read and review!

pure-cerulean


	7. Chapter 7

**KONNICHIWA!! I'm back! **

**Standard disclaimer applied. **

* * *

**Chapter Seven: Sweet Sasu-kun mode**

_Sakura found her self in the middle of… nowhere. She trembled as thoughts of being alone struck her. Tears started to form in the corner of her eyes as she desperately looked for everyone else. After sometime of running endlessly through the foreign place filled with literally nothing, she felt her legs give up and she let herself cry. Her sobs echoed, bouncing off of nothing. She closed her eyes which eventually snapped open when she heard someone call her. _

"_Otou-san?" she whispered with much uncertainty, then, she opened her eyes. _

_She beamed as soon as she saw her father towering over her small form._

_His father held out his arms, welcoming her to an embrace. Sakura immediately complied by reaching out as well. He vanished as soon as she touched his skin._

_Her eyes widened in disbelief as tears were created in the corer of her eyes though she refused to shed them._

_She shook her head ferociously and once again, continued her search._

_She subsequently saw everyone, they who belong to the Uchiha clan. They had their backs turned but Sakura didn't loose faith. She ran and ran towards them but they never felt near, and no matter how fast she sprinted, she never reached them. _

_Tears cascaded down her face once more as they vanished like his father but before that happened, she saw the distinct face of Itachi Uchiha, who had a smile curved in his lips. _

_They did vanish, but she never stopped running._

"_Sakura."_

_She suddenly turned her head as soon as she heard Sasuke's voice. She smiled as she watched light form from above. _

"_Sakura, come." _

_She then reached out her hands towards the light that illuminated the dark place._

"_Sakura…"_

"Sakura, wake up."

Sakura stirred in her sleep. Sasuke shook his head when Sakura didn't open her eyes.

"Don't you want to go to school, you lazy bum?"

Sakura finally fluttered her eyes open and beamed when she saw Sasuke. She suddenly put her arms around him in a tight hug and soon, she was sobbing.

Sasuke ran his hands through her hair for comfort, massaging her scalp gently in the process.

* * *

"What happened?" he asked in a soothing voice.

"I-I had a-a dream. Eve…ry…one vanishes. T-then I heard y-your voi…ce." She sobbed. Sasuke patted her hair, as he stood up, saying it is alright. She nodded.

"Now, you have to get ready for school or you'll be late."

"Hai. Wakata, otou-san. (Okay. I understand, father.)" She said, chuckling. Sasuke snorted upon hearing her. He turned towards the door, and stopped for a moment when she called him.

He then felt her hugging him from behind.

They stayed like that for a moment before Sakura spoke.

"Gomen, ne, Sasuke-kun. I think I did something wrong that's why you're angry at me. G-Gomenasai!!" Sasuke turned to look at her but did not break the tight hug. He patted her hair for a moment.

"Sorry as well. I avoided you even if you don't know why. I'm the reason why you're having such lonely nightmares." He whispered, and Sakura felt her cheeks heating up. She smiled, though.

"D-Daijobu."

Sasuke nodded. Then, almost suddenly, a smirk appeared in his features. Sakura tilted her head in confusion as she watched Sasuke open the door. Before going outside, he tilted his head to the side to slightly face her.

"Stupid girl, Uchihas don't stutter." Then, he banged the door close. She puffed her cheeks a while later and stuck her tongue out at the closed door. "Idiot."

* * *

"IDIOT! IDIOT! IDIOOOOOOOOT!" Sakura breathed out as she ran towards the school building.

"THAT EGOISTIC, IDIOTIC BEAST-BASTARD DARED LEAVE ME ONCE AGAIN!" she screamed whilst running. "I'M SO GOING TO KILL HIM!"

She soon entered the school building and ran all the way towards her classroom. She barged in a little too vociferously that it attracted attention but she couldn't care less. She directed her attention on her _target_.

She stomped her way towards him, pushing fangirls away if necessary.

"OHAYO SAKURA-CHAN!!" she paused.

And with a smile, she greeted. "Ohayo, Naruto", then stomped her way towards her target once again. Naruto sweat dropped.

Arriving at her destination, she dropped her hand on his table rather viciously that her tiny hands became red. Sakura glared at him and he stared back nonchalantly.

"You left me." She pointed out, too bluntly for his taste. He responded with a cool 'hn' with a matching smirk that fangirls on the background swooned at the sight.

She closed her eyes. "Why did you do that?" she asked, calmly, and Sasuke inwardly flinched, regretting his actions a _little bit_ but, being an Uchiha, he placed pride before remorse, and with him propping up his chin on a fist with his elbow touching the table confirmed that.

"I thought you would follow eventually, but I guess your speed is not as fast as I expected." He said with a mocking smirk. "Next time I would make sure I leave the house when you're already 10 meters away."

Sakura's left eye twitched as she became red in anger. She breathed in and out, and shifted as if readying herself for something Sasuke found hard to decipher. She then leaned close to his ear with a sweet smile then,

"I SOOO HATE YOU, EGOISTIC BASTARD-SAN! I'M NOT GOING TO TALK TO YOU ANYMORE!" She screamed that Sasuke thought his ear would fall off and with a final 'hummphh', she stomped back to her seat with such dangerous aura. Sasuke sat in his place, frozen on his spot.

* * *

Classes eventually started and as fast as it began, the end came shortly. Sasuke stared at the wall clock above the door and noted that there's only 30 minutes before the break in between period. He started to formulate plans on his mind.

The plans and his corresponding remarks which are apparently written in bold:

A: Tickle her until she talked **–nah… there's a possibility that she'll hate me as it is-- **

B: Be blunt and say I'm sorry **–pride, man—**

C: Tease her **–quite irresistible for her part but if she's damn serious about what she said, I'll be off the hook—**

D: Neko mode **– Once again, pride man demo -blushes- it worked last time. It was very much effective.—**

And so, he settled for the last one because when he started thinking about it, the ideas that could possibly enter his mind cannot… well… enter.

Students in the classroom quickly dispersed as soon as the bell rang and he noticed that he and Sakura are the only ones left behind. He sighed as he watched her take final notes about the lesson.

He sneaked behind her and suddenly rubbed his cheek against hers. She blushed at his action and tried to continue with what she's doing and ignore him when he wrapped his arms around her and nuzzled her neck in which she reacted by a squeal of surprise. He kissed her cheek softly, and then rubbed his cheek against hers once more.

"S-Sasuke-kun! Yamete! Onegai?(Stop. Please?)"

She felt him smirk. "You know what to say."

She snorted childishly. "Betsuni.(Not really)" Sasuke tightened his hug and nuzzled her neck. She yelped.

"OKAY! OKAY! You're forgiven!"

"I knew it'll work." He said with a chuckle, pulling away.

She snorted. "Yeah right. Now you're starting to be out of character once more. Now, be a good boy or it'll last for a week like last time. How did you come up with that stupid technique anyway?"

"First of all, how can it be stupid when it works? And, well, I don't know myself." Sakura chuckled.

They stayed quiet for a moment, both enjoying the comfortable silence with Sasuke just looking at the window looking as cool as ever and Sakura taking down final notes.

Soon, Ino entered the room gracefully with her long blonde hair trailing behind her. She sat beside Sasuke.

"Konnichiwa, Sasuke-kun. (Hello)"

He responded with a slightly audible 'hn'.

"Flower festival." She whispered. Sasuke merely nodded.

He raised an eyebrow when she then hastily turned to face him with a persistent and determined look on her face. She bowed her head saying, "Can you come with me on the night of the flower festival? Onegai."

He looked at her in the corner of his eyes whilst Sakura's jaw dropped in shock. He looked at Sakura before looking back at the window. After Ino's statement, nothing else was said and she knows pretty well that it's a bitter no, and to top that, it was an 'I couldn't care less'.

* * *

Soon, it will be sunset. Sakura and Sasuke stayed beside the lake as cherry blossoms fell around them due to maturity since they had recently blossomed.

Sasuke was laying down the grass while Sakura let her feet stay on the water, playing with it when she feels like it.

Staring at the sky, she said, "Ne, Sasuke-kun, why don't you go with Ino-chan tomorrow?"

"Hn." Sakura pouted.

"Ike. (Go)" she persuaded.

Sasuke opened an eye. "Do you even know when and what a flower festival is?"

She nodded. He closed his eye. "Explain, then."

"Well, flower festival here starts in the midnight, welcoming the 20th of March and it is celebrated to commemorate the start of spring and give thanks to kami-sama." She smiled at her intelligent answer that almost sounded like a robot speaking. "That's what the book said."

He then sat up. "I don't feel lazy anymore. We'll go to the festival." He said.

'…_since you never saw one.' _He added in his thought.

"B-But!" She started and received a stern look from him.

"Ino-chan." She whispered to herself but apparently, Sasuke heard it.

He blew his bangs from frustration. "Ino attended that damned festival already. She doesn't need me there. You do." He then walked away and Sakura thought he said something like, "stupid girl". She sighed.

* * *

It was already the 19th of March and Sakura has awakened on a bed of flowers. She squealed in delight as she threw the pink petals into the air. It eventually fell on her hair. She laughed vigorously. She then heard a low chuckle and saw Sasuke behind, leaning his back against a tree trunk.

As they made eye contact, Sasuke shook his head, muttering how childish she is. Sakura heard.

"It's okay for me to be childish, idiot." She retorted. "I'm a _goddamned_ 10 years old girl." She pointed out, sticking her tongue out. Sasuke's face became serious.

"Who taught you that?" he received widened eyes and snorted as she repeatedly apologized for such foul language.

Sakura chuckled nervously. "How did I get here? Where did these come from?" She asked, hoping to change the subject.

"Don't use that again." She nodded remorsefully. "I was cleaning the fallen petals a while ago..."

He continued. "…and gathered them in a pile. I thought you'd like them so I laid you there before it gets ugly."

"Arigato, ne?" she said, while playing with the beautiful petals.

"Hana hime.(flower princess)" He muttered. She snapped her head in curiosity and what answered her was a smirk.

"You look like a hana hime just now." Sakura blushed at her comment.

"Ne, Sasuke-kun…" she paused, "Sasu-kun, you're quite not yourself these past few days. Are you okay?" Sasuke grunted at her remark, and then turned to leave.

Before he went out of sight, he heard Sakura say in a sing-song voice, "JUST POINTING OUT THE OBVIOUS!"

* * *

Before they know it, it was already night time. Sakura was dressed in a black kimono with white flowers in it, and her obi was red. Her hair was tied in a bun held together by a white chopstick used for decorating hair. Sasuke was in a usual yukata.

On their back lies the Uchiha fan.

When they arrived, Sakura went to every interesting stall she laid her eyes on. Though tired of being pulled here and there, you can see a small smile plastered on the Uchiha Sasuke's face.

"Ne, Sasu-kun, do you like this white mask or this black mask? Choose your pick."

"Kuro (black)." he said, then, Sakura immediately put it on her face. "It matches my kimono, ne, Sasu-kun?" he nodded. She purchased it right away and dragged him towards an accessory stall when their female classmates, a.k.a. fangirls, blocked Sasuke's way as the oblivious Sakura went straightly to the stall.

"Fancy meeting you here, Sasuke-kun." A brown-haired girl said.

"Why don't you accompany us for a moment?"

"Yeah, and we'll make sure you enjoy the night."

Sasuke ignored the girls as he tried to catch Sakura's form. His right eyebrow twitched as he tried to move away but those fangirls kept on blocking his way. He was about to break away roughly when a certain blonde-haired girl pushed them away from him only to flood him with the same lines the girls from awhile ago chanted like trained actresses.

He sighed almost in disbelief when he lost sight of Sakura.

Meanwhile,

"A-re(huh)? Where's Sasu-kun." Sakura wondered as she held the newly purchased item by her chest. She felt her throat tighten when she saw Sasuke leaving with Ino.

'_Well, at least he's finally with Ino-chan.' _She thought as she smiled bitterly. She then skillfully avoided the throng.

Afterwards, she found a small hill that almost looked like a mound of earth near the festival grounds and rested in its green grass to wait for the fireworks in solitude. She read the scroll she recently purchased while waiting for the display to begin.

Once she saw that fireworks are being readied, she put away her reading material and hugged her knees close to her chest to watch.

As the first fireworks went off, she felt a pair of lips against the skin over her cheek bone. She smiled when he whispered 'I found you' on her ear.

She stretched out her right arm as if she was trying to reach them and positioned her fingers as if she was holding them. She felt another kiss on her cheek.

"Don't let go again." She nodded and he watched as the fireworks mirrored on her clear emerald eyes. He smiled when she reached out and held his hand and rubbed them against her cheek.

END OF CHAPTER!

TBC

**Author's note:**

**Konnichiwa minna-san! It felt bad to not update sooner so I made it longer than usual. You know the usual writer's block. **

**Anou, I made up the festival. I'm not sure if it exist thought. : P**

**Read and review okay?**

**Tell what's in your mind. Tell if it's a so far so good. Tell me if there's something wrong.**

**Well, that's all. See you next time.**

**Hugs n' kisses,**

**Kaoru masachika**


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter eight: Change as the only permanent thing

A/N: Gomenasai! I wasn't able to update real fast….

Gomenasai. I was real busy with certain things. I cannot exactly finish one chapter if I'm this busy.

Actually, this was supposed to be an **author's note kinda chapter** but since I'm on it, I decided to make this the chapter eight already.

Gomen, ne. I can't update that fast, but since someone asked about haruno, I eventually thought that I might as well do a chapter for it. It's only short but don't sue me. :P

**_Chapter eight:_** Change as the only permanent thing

Familiar emerald eyes fluttered open when the sunlight reached her face, seeping through her closed eyelids.

Her alluring emerald eyes blinked once… twice until she was sure she's already used to the sun's blinding light.

Running a hand through her messy rosette locks, she stood up and stretched, mentally noting that it's the start of a new, common day to her.

Common. Everyday has always seemed the same to her now. Whatever happened yesterday will be mirrored by today; the only change that happened is how the days pass.

Everyday is identical. She'll wake up, do her morning routine, go to the kitchen to prepare breakfast only to find it ready and then eat alone with Sasuke out somewhere so early in the morning to hone his ability on a nearby forest.

Though Sakura always think that he's really good enough.

She sighed as she went out of the bathroom, so clean and wet.

Brushing her hair with her small, dainty fingers and flicking her shorter hair backwards, she went out of the room and turned left, instead of right where the kitchen was situated.

She'll make sure that today will be different. She'll do something to make it consequential.

…

As quiet as a cat, she swiftly made her way towards the majestic library owned by Uchihas. It was a place of knowledge, but forbidden for someone like her when many of the great Uchiha_s_ subsist.

It was one of the privileges pure-blooded Uchiha_s_ like Sasuke have at the time. She sighed bitterly at the thought.

Pausing for a while to trace the carvings with the tip of her fingers, she smiled. It was dirtied through the years, yes, but to her eyes it was still superb.

Applying a small pressure, the door opened with an audible whisper. She approached the dusty curtains and drew it open to let the sunlight illuminate the whole room. She eyed the room with awe as she fingered the scrolls neatly lying on the shelves.

She mused on how it was kept organized until the massacre. It was clearly taken care of by its former care takers.

She finally scanned the shelves, her eyes alert of any words that will help her of her search that it didn't take an hour for her to find the providential word… _'Haruno'_

After years of pushing away her other half, she finally had the courage to enlighten herself of her true identity. Her hands trembled as she pushed open the scroll, slowly but surely.

_Haruno clan_

_By: Hayai( meaning- fast) Uchiha_

She smiled. It was her father that had written it through knowledge and research.

_The Haruno clan is one of the most secretive yet powerful clans of Konoha. Emerging a few years after the Uchiha clan was knowned, the clan was mysterious that its potential abilities and even its most basic traditions were kept secret through the years._

_On the reign of the second hokage, the Haruno clan finally made itself familiar to Konoha, though important documents and information were firmly kept on the library situated in the Hokage tower._

_Haruno clan was known as the sister of nature, with every pure-blooded having the ability to communicate with every living creatures, with or without its ability to speak or hear. With this aptitude, chaste members, most especially female can see the past or the future._

_Pure-blooded females were characterized with pink colored locks though there are times when an offspring created from intermarriage can possess pink locks, and that's when the genes from the Haruno dominated the genes of its partner._

'_**So that explains it.'**_ Sakura thought.

_Their blood line limit is known as haru which literally means spring. When activated, their eyes become glassy purple, with their pupil carefully hidden beneath it. _

_With haru, they are able to sharpen their chakra control, thus making them a clan of great medic nins._

_Other than that information, nobody knows where the Haruno clan descended. Where it started is still a mystery._

Sakura snorted. The information was edifying but it wasn't enough. There were no records or whatever. She then sighed. _'Oh well. This can do.'_

Hesitating for a minute, she finally tucked the scroll on her pocket then sneaking outside as fast as she had entered it.

Feeling the soft whisper of the winds, she made her way to her room, carefully hiding the scroll on her cabinet. She beamed in contentment, resting her forehead on the wooden door of it.

She jerked to a straight sitting position upon hearing an impatient grunt from a familiar person. She vigilantly turned her head towards the annoyed person with a nervous chuckle.

"O-Ohayo, Sasu-kun."

Sasuke grunted. "Where were you?"

"I… I just came from a morning walk." He snorted.

"Like I'll believe that."

Sakura chuckled fretfully. "It's a surprise you're home." She finally said, changing the subject.

"Tch. I thought you'll be crying in solitude again." He said with a smirk. She frowned.

"Like I'll do that, egoistic bastard-san." She said rolling her eyes.

"Whatever. Breakfast's ready." She beamed.

"You'll eat with me?!"

"Why do you think my stomach's growling here?" he said sarcastically, walking away.

She stuck her tongue out before following him towards the kitchen.

They ate together, Sakura talking a lot with Sasuke saying 'Hn' or if she's lucky, 'Aa.' Or 'no, stupid.'

She knew Sasuke changed. She knew he's trying to close his heart but being careful not to hurt her. She notices everything about him and she knows for sure that change is inevitable since it is the only permanent thing in this vindictive yet wonderful world. But one thing is for certain, she'll always be there for him as he is to her.

* * *

Iruka smiled appreciatively at the 29 occupants of his classroom. He was proud at them. He smiled at the excited smiled on their faces as they stared at the report cards in their hands. Almost everyone passed…

"I know for sure that what I'll be doing will be completely unnecessary, but I want everyone to recognized the students who did their best." He said.

"There are two exceptional students who excelled in academics, and the other, the rookie of the year who excelled in both academics and practical tests."

"They are… Sakura Haruno Uchiha, Nara Shikamaru and the rookie… Uchiha Sasuke."

He smiled and beckoned the three students on the center of the platform in front of the classroom. Shikamaru was pushed out of his dreamland with a wake up call and was literally pushed on the center, while Sakura enthusiastically pulled Sasuke with her.

The last day ended with enthusiasm.

* * *

Sakura swung her feet whilst putting her hands on the grass beside her to support her weight.

The day was eventful indeed and it made her happy of her achievement.

Through all those years in the academy, she had answered every questions asked, and passed every tests with, dare I say it, flying colors.

The wind gently blew, bringing her pink locks with it and in harmony, she felt them dance.

Her glassy emerald orbs reflected the moon as she stared at it with amusement, her hands reached out as if trying to get it and then, it closed, like she had captured it with her hands.

Then, once again, the night wind blew gently, letting her hair curl slightly as the wind carried it. Few of the Sakura petals encircled her, dancing around her.

Closing her eyes, she heard a small whisper of the wind. _'Omedeto(congratulations), Sakura-hime(princess)…'_

End of chapter


	9. Chapter 9

"Sasu-kun, hayaku, hayaku

_**A/n: **_**Sorry for the long wait…. **Eto… I have to research a bit from the manga… and may I tell you that many of the lines were taken directly from the manga… :P

Kyaaa… School year's gonna start soon so on June afterwards, I would be able to update once or twice but I'll update. Before the end of May I'll update too.

* * *

_**Chapter nine:**_ Team seven

"Sasu-kun, hayaku, hayaku!" (Sasu-kun, hurry, hurry!) Sakura called out, waving her arms almost frantically. "We're gonna be late!"

Sasuke sighed.

"Aa." He muttered, calmly rubbing his left eye with the back of his hand.

Sakura chuckled whilst approaching the yawning Sasuke. She pulled his hand away from his eyes, staring at him.

"Ne, even though you look cute doing that," she paused, looking at his flustered and flushed face, "your eyes will be irritated, so now…"

"Iko(let's go), Sasu-kun! Hayaku!" she whispered, then dragged Sasuke all the way.

* * *

Iruka smiled gently.

"Beginning today, all of you are real ninjas but you are still merely genin." he paused.

"The hard part had just started." he continued. "Now... You will be assigned duties by the village, so today, we will be creating three man teams and each will have a jounin teacher."

The genins shifted from their shifts. "You will follow that teacher's instructions as you complete the assigned duties."

Sasuke snorted as he thought, "Pft... three man teams…That's just more people in my way."

Sakura smiled, "It would be better if I'm with Sasu-kun... or Naruto... or Ino-chan."

Whilst Naruto's eyes flamed, "Sakura-chan, then... Anyone besides Sasuke."

Iruka's eyes scanned the room. "We tried to balance each team's strength..."

"What!?" the whole class chorused.

* * *

"Ya-hoo." Sakura cheered, as she held onto her team mate's hands. "So luc-ky!"

Sasuke inwardly smiled and held onto her hand tighter while Naruto cheered with Sakura. Together, both childish genins made happy noises and continued emitting loud laughters.

Suddenly, he furrowed his eyebrows. "Oi."

The two hyper members of team seven turned to look at him. "Nani?"

"Shut up, Naruto, Ruka."

"Now, why would I listen to you, teme?" Naruto asked defiantly. Sasuke smirked.

"I won't repeat my command, do-be." Sasuke said, provoking Naruto.

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?"

"Do-be." Sasuke repeated monotonously. Naruto's eyebrow twitched.

"WHY YOU-"

"Naruto, yamete! (stop) No fighting with me around!" Sakura yelled. She turned to Sasuke, "You! No aggravating Naruto."

"Tsk. Whatever, Ruka." Sasuke said, averting his attention from Naruto to the window.

Sakura, however, smiled at his nickname for her, recalling its intelligent history.

* * *

History:

**Sakura to Kura to -u-a and K-R- to Ruka**

* * *

"Hm.." she heard Naruto hum, thus gaining her attention. Sakura then perceived that Naruto was toying with a dust-filled eraser, throwing it up and catching it, fingering it as well.

"Naruto, stay still." Sakura said, but Naruto didn't seem to listen.

"Why is the teacher of our team seven so damn late?" he paused. "All the other teams have gone off with their teachers and Iruka-sensei also left."

"Hey, what are you doing, Naruto?!" she asked, eying Naruto as he placed the eraser on top of the door, between the door frame, closing the door slightly to support the eraser and prevent it from dropping.

"That's what you get for being late." He muttered, satisfied with his work.

Sakura raised a brow at Naruto. "Geez. I'm not involved with that silly thing."

"Pft." said Sasuke. "Like a jounin is going to fall for such a simple booby trap."

Tick-tock

Tick-tock

Tick-tock

tick-toc-

BONG

"..."

"..."

"..."

"..."

'_He fell for it?!"_ Sasuke and Sakura thought in disbelief as they eyed the dust covered head of the teacher.

Naruto laughed hysterically. "You fell for it!"

Sakura stifled a giggle. "Gomen ne, sensei. (Sorry, teacher)"

"This is really a jounin? He doesn't seem very reliable." Sasuke commented.

"Now, now, Sasu-kun." she said with a chuckle.

The teacher straightened himself, dusting the chalk dust on his clothes and hair. They stared, waiting as the teacher seemed to ponder on something.

"Hmm… how can I say this…?" he started.

"My first impression is…" he paused, "I don't like you guys!!"

**O.F. H.A.R.U.N.O. A.N.D. O.F. U.C.H.I.H.A.**

"Okay… Let's begin with introductions." Kakashi started, leaning on the rail on the roof top.

"What do you wanna know?" Naruto asked.

"You know… likes… dislikes… dreams… hobbies… those sorts of things." Kakashi said monotonously.

Sakura puffed her cheeks. "And why would we tell something like that, sensei."

"Ne…" Naruto butted in. "Why don't you introduce yourself to us first."

"Yeah. You look… suspicious." Sakura added.

"Oh? Me? My name is Hatake Kakashi. I have no desire to tell you guys my likes and dislikes…" he started. "Dreams for the future…? Hmmm… Well, I have lots of hobbies…"

"Now it's your turn. From the right." He instructed, clearly ending his little… foreword.

"So... All we learned…" Sakura said in disbelief, "Is his name?"

"Me! Me!" Naruto said.

"My name is Uzumaki Naruto. I like cup ramen." Sakura slapped her forehead with her palm at this.

Naruto grinned. "What I like even more is the restaurant ramen that Iruka-sensei buys me. What I dislike is waiting 3 minutes for the cup ramen to cook."

The other three sweat-dropped.

"Does he think about anything but ramen?" Kakashi wondered as he listened further.

"My dream…" Naruto said, turning quite serious as he took hold of his forehead protector with both hands. "… Is to surpass the Hokage!! And then… have all the people in this village acknowledge my existence!!"

Kakashi's eyes widened. Then, his eyes twinkled in amusement. _'He's grown in an interesting way.'_

"Hobbies..." he said quietly. "Pranks, I guess."

"I see…" Kakashi said, rubbing his head. "Next."

Sakura's eyes brightened as she stared at Sasuke, but sweat-dropping at the aura he emitted… '_Dark aura… scary_…'

"_Shannaro!" _Her inner persona screamed.

"My name is Uchiha Sasuke. There are tons of things I dislike but I don't really like anything…" he paused. "And… I don't want to use the word dream but… I have an ambition. The resurrection of my clan and… To kill a certain person."

Sakura rolled her eyes at this. _'Here we go… again."_

'_I thought so…' _Kakashi had put on a serious face while Naruto seem to freeze, thinking at the same time that _'he better not mean me.'_

"Ok…" Kakashi said, crossing his arms over his torso. "And lastly, the girl."

"I am Uchiha Sakura… well… Haruno Uchiha… Um… I'm not really sure what I like… And… there's a few things that I dislike… And my dream is to… well… I'm not yet sure…"

Everyone sweat-dropped at her antics.

"Okay… That would be enough. We will start our duties tomorrow."

"Yay! What kind of duties?" Naruto asked excitedly, which received him a 'bonk' in the head, courtesy of Sakura.

"Mou… Stop being childish Naruto."

"First, we're going to do something with just the four of us…"

"What? What?"

"Survival training."

**End of Chapter.**

**TBC**

**A/N: Okay guys… see you at the end… well… of may!!**

**Oh… I actually changed my pen name! Lazy-cerulean :P**

**Anyway,**

**Loves and kisses,**

**Kaoru Masachika**

**(lazy-cerulean)**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter ten: Haruno curse

* * *

**_Chapter ten:_** Illusion

* * *

"This is only a fixture, this survival training. You have to get these bells to pass."

"Demo! Why are there only two of them, Kakashi-sensei?" Sakura asked. Kakashi chuckled.

"You'll find its factual purpose soon."

"Hn."

Serious aura enveloped the teacher.

"The game starts…" he paused, eying his team. "Now."

Poof!

Poof!

-

-

'_Shimata! (Shit) The dobe stayed.' _Sasuke whispered furiously.

'_Get him, Sasu-kun! Hurry up!'_ Sakura whispered back, albeit worriedly.

Poof!

'_Hayaku, Sasu-kun!'_ Sakura whispered to herself, clasping her hands together.

Poof!

'_Why the hell did you pull me, teme?'_ Naruto murmured angrily.

'_Naruto, I think the game's about collaboration.'_ Sakura said before could Sasuke shot back a curse or an answer.

_-_

_-_

'_They've hidden well.' _Kakashi thought, an orange book on his hand.

_-_

_-_

'_So, the plan is final. I'll act as the bait.'_ Sakura repeated with a saccharine smile on her face.

'_Aa.'_

'_Let's do this! Dattebayo!' Sakura and Sasuke nodded._

'_On position…' __3…2…1… __'Go, Ruka.'_

_-_

_-_

_-_

"Sakura, ka?" (Sakura, huh?) Kakashi said, eying the pink-haired kunoichi who appeared in a blanket of white smoke. Sakura nodded.

"Sensei… Fight me." Sakura daringly said.

"Bold of you." Sakura only chuckled, as both swiftly run towards each other.

Swish.

Punch. _'Ichi.(1)'_

Dodge. Kick. _'Ni, San…' (2, 3)_

Duck. Hit. _'Shi, go.' (4, 5)_

Strike. Uppercut. _'Roku.' (6)_

Stoop. Break away.

"You've progressed, I think." Kakashi said, scratching his chin with his index finger whilst staring at his book, then Sakura.

"Arigato, sensei." Sakura said, the sly tone carefully hidden beneath her sweet voice.

"…"

Advance.

Punch. Punch. _'Shichi, hachi, kyu.' (7, 8, 9.)_

Kick. Dodge. Dodge.

Sakura suddenly pulled away by a meter.

She then raised her hands above her head, chakra strings revealing themselves against the scorching sunlight.

"What the…?" Kakashi gasped, feeling chakra strings tightening around him.

"Now!" Naruto and Sasuke went out of their hiding place, around their fingers were chakra strings as well that they had put around Kakashi while they were fighting. Sakura followed their pace and together, they put their fingers around the bells at the same time.

_Cling cling._

"Game over, sensei." Naruto said, a triumphant grin on his face.

A sigh. "She's been caught."

"Nani?" Sasuke asked, turning to the stiff Sakura beside him. "Ruka? Ruka?"

"Sakura-chan!?" Naruto exclaimed, noticing it as well. "Sensei, what's happening?"

"She's been caught by a…" Kakashi said, pausing when Sasuke suddenly growled angrily.

"Damn it, it's a genjutsu!" he truned to Kakashi. "What are you showing her?"

"A bloody you and a wounded Naruto." Sasuke cursed.

"Kai. (dispel)" He said, his fingers forming a seal.

"Ara? (huh?)" Naruto said.

"It's dispelled…" Sasuke gave Kakashi a glare. "What happened?"

Kakashi became truly serious, his lips in a thin line under his mask.

"Her heart's caught by her own trepidation."

-

-

-

-

-

-

"_I can't deem that such thing would lead to this kind of… muddle!" _a strong voice boomed, his mellow yet firm voice echoing inside the room.

A nod of support.

"_I believe that the child is excellent in genjutsu, even surpassing her own batch's rookie for that matter." _A sophisticated one said with her leg over the other. _"But, I couldn't believe that she got enslaved by a simple… technique."_

A deep sigh.

"_Fear could do such thing to a naïve child who experienced so much at a tender age. You cannot blame her for hiding her trauma through all those years to support another member of her clan left of her."_

A nod of agreement.

--

_**((**__ S-Sasuke-kun? What's happening? What happened… to… to you…!? A-are you okay…? Open your eyes! Sasuke-kun!!__**))**_

_**--**_

"_Could her simple magic lead to… a universal destruction in the future?" _an elderly voice said with uncertainty.

A shaking of head.

"_She's a good girl… A smart, strong and good girl…"_

"_You know her well, Iruka…?"_ a woman inquired.

"_I… trained her."_

_**--**_

_**((**__Sakura… Help me...__**))**_

_**--**_

"_Should we…?" _a trembling voice asked.

A glare. _"She's just a kid! She's at no fault. We just have to… help her heal… and fast…"_

_**--**_

_**((**__Help m…e. Sa…kura, help…" she choked. "Be strong Sasuke-kun! I'll… look for Kakashi-sensei… or Naruto! D...on't leave me…!"__**))**_

_**--**_

"_Or we could just…"_

A stern stare.

A defiant look. _"We could just end her… and… and--" _

A huff of incredulity. "_What the hell?!"_

_**--**_

_**((**__"Sa…kura-ch..an…?" A gasp of disbelief. "You too… Naruto!?"__**))**_

_**--**_

A fake cough…

Attention… required.

"_That would be unwise, my friend."_ A withering voice said.

"…"

"_She's one of the last Uchiha remaining as of now."_

_--_

_**((**__Sa…ku— ra…__**))**_

_**--**_

A nod.

A puff of smoke.

"_Iruka here, their previous teacher, reported that she holds a sentimental and close relationship with the younger brother of the one responsible for the massacre, who is Uchiha Itachi." The man continued._

An uncertain nod.

"_I… I don't quite fathom where you are heading, Hokage-sama."_

_--_

_**((**__"Saku…ra-chan!!" — "Na-Naruto!! Hold on!!__**"))**_

_--_

"_He meant that her death would trigger the male Uchiha's desire to betray Konoha. It's something we cannot risk to do. The boy's got potential, just like his brother. Adding the fact that Oro-"_

A stern glare silenced the woman.

"_No need to mention him in this discussion." Another voice said._

"_I wish to speak, Hokage-sama."_

Silence.

--

_**((**__"Sakura…" – "Sasuke-kun! Wait up… you guys!! I'll… call… for help!!"__**))**_

--

"_You may…"_

"_You should add another fact over that."_

_--_

_**((**__"Sakura."__**))**_

_--_

"_And… what should that be?"_

"_Haruno."_

A nod of support. _"I heard that the girl is the daughter of the heir of the Haruno clan as of now. We couldn't risk a resistance from such powerful and mysterious clan."_

Silence…

--

_**((**__"Sakura-chan..!"__**))**_

--

"_The girl's got potential as well… She possesses a trait of a full-blooded Haruno. She can be of help in the future."_

Silence…

"_Or… a cause of destruction."_

"…"

--

_**((**__"Nan…de?"__**))**_

_**--**_

"_This meeting is adjourned. We must talk about this some other time."_

_--_

_**((**__"Nan..de?"__**))**_

_**--**_

**_nande-- why_**

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

"Ne… When do you think will she… wake up?" Naruto asked gently as he watched Sasuke pushed away her bangs from her face after pulling her comforter up to her chin.

Sasuke shook his head as his fingers brushed against her cheek, looking at the frown on her sleeping face.

Naruto stared at him for awhile, noting how Sasuke's lips formed a thin line even if his eyes were bathed with emotions.

"Excuse me." A medic nin said, letting herself in. "I would like to ask both of you some questions for a moment."

Naruto nodded hesitantly. Sasuke kept a straight face.

"Follow me please." The medic nin said, making her way outside as Naruto followed her cautiously. Sasuke was about to step out when a hand shot up to grab his.

His watchful eyes stared at the pained feature of Sakura and then, to the hand that captured his. Her full lips parted.

"Don't go… Sa…suke-kun." She whimpered.

He stared at her for a moment, before going back to her side.

"I won't."

She smiled, albeit a small and pained one.

-

-

-

-

"Nnnngg…" Sakura moaned, feeling her body increase in temperature.

Sasuke immediately opened both eyes to look at Sakura only to find her bathed with neon green radiance, her skin submersed with sweat and her face fixed into a deep frown.

She started opening her eyes.

Sasuke, then, was beside her, holding her hand tightly.

Her eyes were half-open when tears fell from her eyes, and to Sasuke's alarm, blood mixed with it.

"Sakura." He called out. Sakura only moaned in reply, and slowly, oh so slowly, she opened an eye that revealed blood red eyes.

Sasuke smiled.

It was the Sharingan, but what surprised him the most was when she opened her other eye, revealing… orbs of amethyst so glassy that you'll almost think that it was a precious gem.

"Sasu…ke—kun…"

Her eyes were unfocused, he noted. He knows for sure she was still oblivious to where she is… and to his presence.

The glow that her body released increased tenfold. As of now, hot neon green aura enveloped the whole room.

It was so strong, that everything around the place neglected the rule of gravitation.

Sasuke felt himself channeling more chakra to his feet more than necessary.

"Sa…su—ke…kun." Her eyes were swirling with Sharingan and Haru. Sasuke bit his lip as he stared at her condition.

She was drifting in the air, her feet merely a foot above the ground. Her mismatched eyes were darting from one location to another, as if searching for something. Her body was focusing chakra in its respective opening, forming sharp appearance that ferociously releases itself only to hit anything on its way, creating fissures and depressions on the whole room.

Sasuke scowled, as he tried to dodge the sharp chakra discharged from her body.

"Sakura!" he called out. "Sakura, stop it, dammit!!"

He growled as she seemed unaware to anything at all as of present, chanting his name and Naruto's.

He looked around. _'Someone should at least have noticed this.'_

"Sakura! Stop it!" he growled, stepping closer to her. His sharp eyes then notice the broken door and his eyes widened in incredulity.

Just outside the door, two medic nins, who seemed to be talking animatedly to each other, were… frozen. The surrounding was like a canvas, everything was frozen by time except the room where they are.

'_Time… stopped.' _His eyes sharpened. _'Sakura must stop this nonsense as well.'_

He pumped more chakra to his feet as he loped towards her, enveloping her to his arms.

She was too shocked to do anything else... Too tensed…

Sasuke sighed in relief when he noticed her awareness, but her eyes were still dazed. He needed to do something… something…

"Sakura. Stop it already… I'm already here…" he smiled when familiar emerald eyes stared innocently at him.

"Sa—su-ke…kun?" More tears.

"Sasuke-kun!" she squealed, putting her arms around him. "You're okay!"

He stroked her messy pink locks. "Of course I am you idiot."

She relaxed in his arms.

"Sasuke-kun…" she sobbed.

"Hmm?"

"I was… so… depressed. I thought you were dead… and Naruto…" her eyes widened. "Where's Naruto!?"

"He's safe."

"Yokatta! (Thank goodness.)" She breathed. Sasuke could only chuckle at her flushed face.

He then let her go, pointing at the door.

"It's broken…" she pointed out. Sasuke frowned.

"You stopped the time around us."

"Oh… so… how do I make it move again?" she asked innocently.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. "You mean, you don't know how to?"

She shook her head.

-

-

-

-

"She has grown beautifully…" a woman whispered.

"I think so too… She is stronger than you'll ever think." Tsunade complimented, turning to the woman.

"It has been years since you'd stop pursuing her… what's the matter?"

The woman smiled thoughtfully. She then pointed at her eyes. "I have my reasons that I know you have identified by now."

She then leaned her hand against the glass window, looking at the girl sitting on a bench with a young boy beside her.

"I miss my baby…" she sighed. "I wish I can be with her soon."

The woman turned to Tsunade. "Ma(Well), I'll be going now."

Tsunade nodded.

"I'll see you soon, Tsunade-chan."

"Hai…" the woman turned to leave. "… And, Tenshi-chan?"

"Nani?"

"Thanks for fixing her mess…"

Tenshi chuckled. "I'll fix every muddle she creates, and help her learn from it. Besides…" she paused, then, smirked. "She's my daughter… my only daughter…"

-

-

-

Sasuke stared at the sleeping girl leaning on his shoulder. After everything that happened in the survival training, he has seen what's underneath the underneath her. He now knows that her real emotions are locked up, expertly covered by that cheery façade.

He clenched and unclenched his hands.

He was blinded by revenge that he failed to see through her. He has been self-centered, forgetting the fact that he wasn't the only one that suffered the great lost. He has been sharing them with Sakura through all those years.

His head rose towards the sky, his onyx eyes staring at the colossal clouds above them.

There is a great possibility that she witnessed the massacre. He noted that fact when he saw her lifeless eyes that night, and he cursed himself for letting that possibility slip from his mind. Indeed, he _is _foolish_._

He must be careful from now on. He must be more observant. He must protect her at all costs, particularly because of the activation of both her bloodline limit. Above and beyond, she's way too special to him.

Way… too special.

**End of chapter.**

**TBC.**

-

-

A/N: I'm really sorry to disappoint you guys if the story is mixed with the real one, but that is how I want the story go.

See you on June guys! I still have to make the chapter two of Ore no Tenshi.

Hugs and kisses,

Kaoru Masachika

(lazy-cerulean)


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven: _A step towards a dark abyss_**

Long and thick eye lashes curved against her cheek as she breathed evenly through her parted mouth. Swiftly, her baby pink lips formed a small smile of contentment as in her dreams were a tranquil paradise where wonderful bright colors filled her extensive imagination, where the feeling of satisfaction and completeness surged through every inch of her sanity and where the astonishing aroma of spring flowers, pastries and something burning— wait...

**Something burning…? _Something burning…?!_**

_Yeah…Burning… Like the smell of Sasu-kun's fire jutsu…_

_**Bingo.**_

Sakura immediately shot up off her bed when the information slowly but efficiently registered to her mind. Rushing out of her room, and downstairs, she almost tripped if not for her kunoichi instincts reacting.

Finally reaching where she thought the smell of smoldering items were at its strongest, she almost knocked the door off its hinges, screaming FIRE.

"Ruka…" Sasuke acknowledged her flatly, eying her twitching face beneath a curtain of pink tresses as she laid flat on her back. "What do you think are you doing?"

Sakura's flushed face looked up at him. Gazing at his undisturbed face, a saccharine expression graced her features. "Sasu-kun?"

Sasuke inwardly flinched, knowing the next part of the chronicle. (She's not a morning person) "Hn."

_'What?'_

"What do you think are you doing so early in the morning?" Sakura asked, slowly standing up with that creepy smile still on her face.

_Burning a few kimonos, dresses and accessories sent to you by your beloved auntie… and did I mentioned a couple of lingerie?_

"Disposing…" he muttered monotonously.

Sakura's eyes dangerously narrowed.

"You knew better than that!" she hissed.

"Look, Ruk-- Oof!" Air seemed to escape his lungs, unprepared, as Sakura tackled him on the hard, stony ground. He groaned when she started pounding her fists against his chest.

"Hey…! Stop that! Get off me! Ruka! I'll get angry!" he hissed, narrowing his eyes at Sakura (who's currently straddling him by the hips) then at her hands ready to claw him in the face_._

She seemed to consider for a moment.

"Oh no you won't. Zettai. (Definitely)" She said with a nod, preparing her sharpened nails. He sighed. "I won't buy you ice cream."

_'What?'_

He smirked at her, watching her pout as she got off of him. "No fair, you know my weakness…" she looked thoughtful. "But seriously, you ruined my dreams. What are you disposing anyway?"

"You'll be late…" Sasuke stated instead as he got up. Sakura gave him a questioning stare. "Meeting. In 10 minutes. Bridge. Go. Now."

Sakura's eyes widened, and in a flash, she was inside the house and into her room.

_CLINK. BUGSH—CRASH. _

"NANI KURE!? (What the heck/ What is this?)" She screamed.

_BAM-- _

_THUD!_

"SASU! I TOLD YOU TO KEEP YOUR ARM BANDS AWA—OOF!" Sasuke cringed at the sound of a shattering glass.

_Score._ He thought, his left eyes twitching. _Another porcelain vase away. One angry Sakura, oncoming. _

"SASU!! WHY DID YOU PUT YOUR SHIRT ON THE KITCHEN FLOOR?!" She screamed, making Sasuke rub the incoming headache away on his temple using his trained and calloused fingers.

_I didn't. You took it from me after my training because you said it's dirty. You said, as well, that you'll clean it._

BANG! BUGSH! CRASH!

"Arghhh!"

Sasuke closed his eyes.

'_This is going to be a long day'_

_-_

_-_

_-_

_-_

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!" an energetic blonde screamed, as he enthusiastically waved his arms. "Yo, Teme!!"

"Naruto!" she smiled, watching her blonde team mate running towards _their _bridge.

"Daijobu desu ka?" Naruto asked in which Sakura responded with a sweet smile.

"Mm!" she hummed with a small nod. "I'm all right now, see?"

She then highlighted her point by twirling around energetically, almost tripping if Sasuke didn't reached for her elbow in time. Naruto chuckled then.

_Poof_

"Yo!" In instinct, Sasuke pulled Sakura behind her while Naruto's guard went up. Kakashi sweat dropped.

"Ohayo, Kakashi-sensei!" Sakura murmured from behind of Sasuke. Kakashi nodded in reply. "We have a D-class mission."

The silence urged Kakashi to continue, quite disappointed when he didn't hear any reactions (Complains even). "Miyoko-sama's cat got loose. We need to find it."

-no reactions-

"She's offering a large amount of money for her precious cat." He said, raising a picture.

_Poof! Poof!_

-

-

Kakashi sighed as he watched the smoke vanish, blending with the wind. "What obstinate members do I have?"

He then cleared his throat.

"Be back after retrieving the cat, I'll do a short announcement afterwards." He said, raising his voice.

"You heard the old man, Sasu-kun. No ditching." Sakura mockingly said, pursing her lips to look stern but hiding her amusement on his irritation at the same time.

"Put me down, TEME!" Naruto said, glowering at Sasuke. "I can handle myself perfectly!"

Sasuke rolled his eyes, dropping Naruto (who was awkwardly positioned on his shoulder) on the cold, hard surface of a hefty, large tree branch they are on.

"And I can pick up well from even the smallest signals you propel to my great brain and understand it immediately."

Sakura clapped.

"Nice speech, Naruto. But I believe Sasu-_chan_ (Sasuke glared at her) sent you numerous hand signs and eye contacts before he swiftly and **rudely **_snatched _us from where we were standing then poofing away from our talking teacher." Sakura said sweetly from Sasuke's arms (bridal style), then turned to glower at Sasuke.

Sasuke grunted as Naruto looked away with a flush of embarassment on his whiskered cheeks. Then, from the corner of his eyes, he saw a flash of white underneath them so he sat down to observe it.

"Hey..." he called out, earning questioning stares.

"That cat looks familiar…" Naruto stated when he saw a white cat running below them, then with a nod, stated, "and cute."

"Baka! That's the cat we're supposed to look for!" Sakura scolded, jumping down from Sasuke's arms, and bonking him on the head.

"AFTER IT!" Naruto screamed, taking off of the branch with a hand on his aching head.

-

-

-

-

Lazy eyes stared at the two Uchiha and at the blonde haired boy struggling to keep the cat still.

Suddenly, the door to the Hokage's office harshly opened, revealing a fat old lady.

"KURIMU-CHAN!" the lady, Miyoko, screamed in delight as she rudely grabbed the petrified white cat from Naruto's arms before squeezing the air off the poor cat. Sakura stared at the cat warily, in case it might pass out.

"Thank you so much!" Miyoko added with a grin as she approached the Hokage's seat. "Here's my sign of gratitude. Adieu."

And, she was gone as fast as she had entered.

-

"…"

"That was… interesting…" Sasuke muttered.

"Hayai… (Fast)" Sakura breathed out. "…and productive."

Naruto nodded.

"Back to the bridge." Kakashi ordered, unfazed of the occurrence.

**O.**

**F. **

**H.A.R.U.N.O. **

**A.**

**N.**

**D. **

**O.F. **

**U.C.H.I.H.A.**

"So… we'll be participating on the Chuunin examination?" Sakura asked, then as watched Kakashi nodded.

"Cool."

"You'll just have to remember the details I've told you, so don't be late."

Sasuke looked at him with bored eyes. "I'll beat you."

Kakashi smiled at him beneath his dark mask. "Whatever you say, Sasu-_chan._"

Sasuke glared at him.

"Ja ne.(See you)"

_Poof!_

_-_

_-_

_-_

_The day of the Chuunin examination…_

_-_

_-_

_-_

"Yaaaa! I'm so excited!!" Sakura screamed as she skipped towards the entrance, then stopped to wave at Sasuke who's a good ten feet away from her. "Hurry up! Don't wanna be late, neee?"

"Hn."

"Oi, matte!" They turned to see Naruto sprinting towards them.

"There you are Naruto. Thought you won't be coming."

"Sakura-chan, you should be the first one to know that I won't let this pass through my very finger! It's a step closer to being a Hokage, dattebayo!!" he said with a grin, his fingers forming a victory sign. "But, anyways, I took a **bite** of the cookies Iruka-sensei bought. It was yummy!"

_Bite? _The word seemed to echo in Sakura's head. Then, as if it was a key to a door, the word itself triggered an activation making her right eye flash with streaks of purple glow.

Bite…? Bi—**kreeeeeeeeech!**

_((You'll come to me, Ssssasuke-kun…_

_I'll wait for your submission, Ssssakura-hime.))_

_**Golden eyes… a pair of them… Pupils… snake-like slits… kawai** (Scary)_

_((Sas—kreeeeeeech-e-kun?))_

_((Ugh…! Saku—ra…))_

**_Kawai…_**

-

**_Dark aura… spilling everywhere… Red orbs… Blood's color…_**

_((Who did this t--**kreeeeeeeeeeeeech**--u, Sa-ku-ra?))_

_((Sasuke-kun!!))_

**_Bones crashing… Kawai… _**

_((Yamet-kreeeeeeeeeech!!))_

**_Tears… cascading… So many…_**

_((Yam—kreeeeeeeeeeeeeech—e, Sasuke-kun!!))_

-

_((I'll wait for your submission… You'll be mine…))_

**_Snake… eyes... Malicious…_**

**_Kawai…!_**

-

((_Saku—kreeeeech? You cut your hair?))_

-

_((Let me fix that for you…Ne…))_

**_Pungent blood… on my lips… I can taste it…_**

**_It's… kawai…_**

_((Sakura-chan? Sa--))_

"..kura-chan?"

**Sakura's POV**

I blinked, seeing frantically waving hands in front of my face. "Sakura-chan, are you okay?"

I widened my eyes, swatting his hands from my face, then, feeling a force on my throat, I screamed. "I'm okay!!"

I saw my teammates' stunned faces which made me turn from them, my bangs falling over my eyes.

"I am okay" I repeated, this time, softly. I then grinned, holding their hands using my own small ones. "Let's go!!"

**End of POV**

**Sasuke's POV**

I saw her other bloodline activating. There must be something that happened without us knowing. What her bloodline's capability is still unknown to me... but I'll find it out.

I tightened my hold on her hand as she dragged us towards the second floor then at the third floor.

She continued going to the fourth floor when I broke away from her grasp whilst looking at Naruto walking hurriedly through the third floor hallway, oblivious to our sudden stop.

Finally, he stopped, then I noticed something wrong with our direction.

**End of POV**

"Sakura-chan! Where are you going? That's not the way!!"

Sakura seemed confused as she stopped. "What are you talking about?"

"The room is that way!"

"But!" she started to protest but stopped herself to look at Sasuke. Sasuke gave a rather bored shrug.

_'The third's floor is still a level away.'_

**_'That moron! Can't he pinpoint which a genjutsu is and what is not?_ **Inner Sakura had grumbled._ **'Stupid obnoxious Naruto. Stupid plain genjutsu. Stupid troublesome Chuunin exams.**_

_**'**Well, this might be interesting after all.'_

**_'Shannaro!'_**

"Sakura-chaaan!" Naruto whined, making Sakura giggle.

_'Oh well, let's let him be.' _Sakura inwardly grinned before dragging Sasuke towards where Naruto is.

"Matte, Naruto!"

**End of Chapter**

**TBC**

**A/N:**

**This is very confusing, I admit. If ever you have questions, pls ask me. Thanks.**

**I'll see you soon guys… Review nicely…**

**Corrections are all welcome but don't go as far as suing me.**

**Hugs 'n' kisses,**

**Kaoru masachika.**


	12. Chapter 12

**

* * *

**

Chapter twelve: _Travelogue through time_

****

EYE CATCHER!

Her large viridian eyes sharpened, her lips are pursed. Her long hair like a curtain dancing through the wind as her fingers touched the surface of a mirror in a dark room, creating a ripple similar to a body of water disturbed.

Then, the frown turns to a saditic grin.

__

'Life would always be ironic to a person who travels in time and cannot go back forever.'

* * *

****

EYE SORE-

__

fzzt.. fzzt--fzzt.

__

"My life is like that of an ice cream. It is colorful, at the same time, it melts through a given time at a given temperature. Whenever I am around him, I feel secure because he's an ice. But, when he's not around, I'm afraid that I would melt."

****

1

SAKURA'S POV

_Okay, so this is not exactly what I expected by merely following the care-free lad towards his own realization that his route is not quite correct._

"..."

_It is NOT my fault!_

_Really, it's not, but, even though that's the case, why do I feel fucking guilty?_

_...?_

_Simple._

_It's becasue he used his secret weapon._

_A weapon hidden through the years when he acted like a caring (insult-ish) big brother._

_Tsk. Tsk._

_Besides, who could ignore (more like resist, my tolerance is not high because I usually do the job) the childish frown creasing in his (platinum yellow) eyebrows, that wrinkled (button) nose of his, and that cute, cute pouted lips?_

_No one, but (smirks inwardly) who says he is the only one who could play the game master? (insert inner Sakura's high pitched laughter)_

Like what she usually do, Sakura gathered salty liquid on her tear ducts, puffed her cheeks and curved her (cherry) lips downward into a frown.

As expected, her blonde teammate visibly twitched while her overprotective (brooding) knight's eyes started to sharpen.

Biting his tongue, Naruto watched as she opened her mouth and,

"UAAAAAAAAH!"

screamed.

--))

****

O

F

HARUNO

&

O

UCHIHA

--))

"Unfair, Sakura-chan! You should have told me that you wanted ice cream in the first place."

She stucked out her tongue. "You initiated the battle."

"Hn." agreed Sasuke silently. The loudmouth kept quiet until his eyes caught sight of a particular room number.

"HA! Look! We're near the examinations room!" Naruto yelled, making Sakura cover her ears.

"Quiet Naruto. Everyone's looking." she said, peering at the throng from the corner of her eyes.

"Na..." Disagreed Naruto. "They just wanted to see my awesomeness."

Sakura rolled her eyes at this, _then..._

****

2

****

Sakura's POV:

* * *

__

I stopped licking my ice cream, as I felt my head twisting.

It was painful, like someone is pinching my brain from the inside. I firmly closed my eyes, and when I opened it, I saw everyone turning into a dark sepia color...

-

"Ne, ne, teme, I'll race you there! Bet I can beat you with speed."

"Hn."

-

__

Everyone are slowly freezing up from my peripheral vision. Then, gradually, everyone turned black, like no light exists.

-

"Sakura-chan? Coming?"

-

__

My mouth opened, but no voice came out. I tried doing it again.

-

"Hai... I'll follow... suite."

-

__

Everything's blacking out, until only Sasuke and Naruto are the only ones that I see, however, they are enclosed to a circle, like a spot light is over them.

-

"Ruka."

-

__

The light's closing in... slowly... slowly...

-

"Ruka...!"

-

__

I can only see their faces... Fuck! What's happening to me?

-

"Sakura!!"

****

End of POV

__

"Sakura!!"

"Huh?" Her vision went back to normal, and she can hear one again the noisy crowd, Inner Sakura's usual panicked ranting, Naruto's whinings of impatience, and of course, the radiation of Sasuke's suspicious (and scary) gaze.

She smiled sheepishly at Sasuke, and inwardly smiled since it was only Sasuke that was able to see through her.

She watched as he sharpened his obsidian eyes at her, before he ran to beat the 'dead-last' to a race towards the room of examination. She smiled in content, as she ran towards the room as well.

_But..._

When she stepped foot in the room, she felt another strange feeling. It was like something is sucking her towards the unknown. Intense amount of light blurred her eyes that she had to cover her burning face.

_And then..._ like her first experience, everything went back to normal. _Or so she thinks..._

_-_

_-_

She stared at her left to see Naruto's mouth moving incessantly.

"-then we'll celebrate at Ichiraku's and eat lotsa ramen. Then teme would be paying while we go on a date, NEEE, Sakura-chan?"

Sakura blinked...

_blink blink._

_'Okay.' _she thought, eying the forest (she just noticed) they are in, which is apparently enclosed with chakra-filled fences.

_'When the hell did I get in here? Is this like, the extension of the examination room? I thought the first stage is writen examination?'_

_"_Ruka."

_blink. blink._

"Ruka. (she blinked again) You're spacing out. Again." Sasuke muttered wryly. "What's wrong with you?"

__

'Huh?'

"Sakura-chan, doushitano (Sp?- what's wrong?)"

"Anou sa, isn't the examination starting in a few minutes?" she asked.

"Ruka." Sasuke said, his voice having a thick edge to it. "It started a few minutes ago."

"Ehh?"

"The forest of death. Anko-sensei. Scroll of heaven and earth. Remember?"

"... Forest... of death." She whispered, as her bloodline limit activated. Her right eye glowed magically as her mind circled images through her head.

Deeeaaaaatttthh...

_**((**No one is to be caught cheating, or that someone wouldn't be joining us. Jounins are positioned to your left to watch over those who struggle against these rules**))**_

Blob of yellow... to my left... scratching his head, his tongue stuck towards a corner of his lips in a struggling manner.

Raven hair, straight face... SO Calm... calmcalmcalm...

--

Mirror. Mirror placed on my hand, reflecting the answers. Sharp azure eyes... so grateful. So GRATEful.

--

_((Everyone inside... passed.))_

_((YATTA!!))_

--

--

--

_**((Ssssorry. Let me help you with that... bLOOd))**_

_(ehehe. No thanks.))_

_--_

It flickered. Those familiar golden eyes.

**_ting, ting._**

"Ah." She looked so dazed. "Yes. I... remember now, Sasu... kun."

* * *

**_O.F...H.A.R.U.N.O...A.N.D...O.F...U.C.H.I.H.A._**

"I wonder what could've happened to Sakura-chan. She's not her self today." Naruto pondered, his azure eyes never leaving the skipping kunoichi far ahead of them.

"How amusing. The dobe is not that dense after all." Sasuke sneered. Naruto whined but stopped when he caught how Sasuke's obsidian orbs glistened with crimson. He, too, turned serious as he clutched a scroll on his hands.

"Sakura-chan better not be hiding anything from me." He declared before catching up with the lone female member. Sasuke smirked at this, then stopped abruptly upon a quick movement not far and turned to survey the surrounding as both of his teammates halted on a tree branch to hear out any messages from Sasuke, everyone alert at the moment.

_Crimson eyes scanned the area._

'North. _Clear. And so are the west, east, and south. Where could that chakra signature come from?_' he thought as he stared at Sakura from his peripheral vision and saw her activate his own Sharingan, then chuckled lightly in amusement when she flinched from the pain before deactivating it.

_Rustle. Rustle._

Sasuke turned exigently upon hearing the noise. He glowered at his surrounding when he found no changes. Then,

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!"

"KUSO!"

_'Sakura!!'_

**_END OF CHAPTER._**

**_TBC._**

* * *

Author's note:

Any information that you found wrong are written in purpose. Everything, the scenes and sequence are all written because of a reason so no one is to sue for what you think is wrong.

Sorry for the late update. I'd be sure to update a lot more before term tests.

Sorry for any wrong spellings and/or syntax errors.

I hope you find the chapter to your liking.

And oh, **your reviews make me write.** The reviews from the last chapters are quite few compared to the others. please conside clicking the button on the lower left.

Last note: Never more( a product of infant imagination) shall be rewritten.

Thank you.

(This is the robot of Kaoru Masachika. Pardon me for the formalities. See you on the next chappie for I shall recognize reviewers and update readers of the story's status. Thank you ad have a blessed day.)

Tsk. Tsk.

Hugs 'n' kisses,

Kaoru Masachika.


	13. Chapter 13

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN: Inescapable**

'_Sakura!'_

* * *

**SAKURA's POV**

"Sa-Sasu…ke-kun…" I croaked out, biting my lips until blood drew out.

I tasted the astringent flavor of the blood.

"Sssakura-hime," A slithering voice drawled in my ear as strong, slender fingers snaked against my scalp and then, pulled my hair harshly. I almost screamed in pain.

"Sakura-chan!" Naruto called out, his body fruitlessly trying to escape the snakes that crawled around his body. His azure eyes flickered to a glowing red.

I then began to struggle.

"That would be futile, hime." The snake monster whispered wildly, his long tongue tracing the tip of my chin. I stifffened, freezing like something's manipulating me. I... _can't _move. _Can't._

I gasped when the snake monster suddenly jumped up, swiftly hopping to another tree branch, and soon, I heard Sasuke's feet crash on the branch the snake man's standing on a little while ago.

The snake man shifted again as kunais whizzed at our direction.

"Kuso!" Sasuke yelled, glaring as he pursued the snake man that held me frozen in his arms. The veins connecting to my Haru throbbed as a _vision_ dazed me, a vision where snakes slithered towards Sasuke.

Sasuke groaned. My eyes refocused and flickered to his form. I almost cried. _I was just too little _too _late._

He was already wrapped in a rope of snakes. Fear hugged me, and I stared unmoving as a head extended from behind me, to the wide-eyed Sasuke.

I closed my eyes shut as I hear a blood-curling scream from Sasuke.

I whimpered, my eyes forming tears. _Tears _that are a weakness, especially for a weak shinobi like _me._

_Weak. _The word screamed at me, reprimanding me.

I'm so weak! I cannot protect them… They always protect me… I'm so useless, always behind them… watching their back.

A scream escaped my lips.

I COULDN'T EVEN PROTECT THEM! I screamed in my head.

_**Then, let them watch our back. It's our time. **_Inner Sakura whispered soothingly, and it was in these times that I'm grateful to her.

_Yes… _yes_._

Heat pulsed through my body, running from the tip of my toes to the veins of my eyes. I opened them once more, feeling the power of both Sharingan and Haru pulsing, and then, I could see everything.

"Perfect." The snake hissed.

I jumped out of the way as I foresaw the snake monster appearing behind me. Dodging when his snakes tried to catch me, catching his tongue as it tried to stop me.

"Perfect" he repeated, as his tongue encircled my wrist, and then, before I knew it, his snakes were already wrapping themselves around my ankles. One of his hands touched my shoulders, and a stinging pain erupted from it.

"What-" the snake man clamped my mouth shut.

"Patience, princess." I glared at him, flinching at the electrical currents that ran on my skin, crawling and taunting but not enough. I clenched my teeth shut upon hearing the scream of Sasuke. His beautiful voice bounced in my ears, reminding me of how weak I really am.

I whimpered as another jolt of pain filled me.

"I know what your precious Haru could do. It foresees the future. It lets your travel to the future, and never to come back to the past. But, my dear." He smiled cunningly... dramatically at me.

"The future changes with every decision. And this," his tongue slithered across my cheeks and I flinched in disgust. "Wasn't my decision. It's an instinct. A snap evaluation."

I bit his palm, grinding my teeth in anger as his ugly laughter filled the air, drowning Sasuke's pain.

"Like I said, it is futile." The snakes slithered tightly around my body, my neck, my mouth, leaving my eyes for sight and nose for air.

I glared as he skipped away in front of me, performing hand seals.

"Your mother had always been the perfect sear," he said, his hands moving faster but, I could read them, my sharingan could read them. They don't seem familiar.

My eyes narrowed. _A forbidden technique._

"Don't worry, hime-sama, because, even though your angel of a mother has perfected your precious Haru, you are beyond perfect."

His tongue slithered across his lips.

My eyes then widened as light emanated from me, and with it, were pink petals of chakra… my chakra.

"Wonderful," the snake man said whilst smiling wickedly at my terror. "Perfect!"

I felt my body weakening, my energy slipping away. My eyes almost rolled back, if I hadn't blink my eyes awake.

_I'm dead. I cannot save them, after all._

I'm useless… Weak… Unable to protect my protectors. I felt cold… and

_Alone…_ Ridiculously stone-stiff, my skin flinching from every chakra taken away…

_I'm dead._

My eyes blurred, and I blinked again to refocus, my ears stinging as I heard Sasuke, who's on the verge of passing out.

Suddenly, the pink, pink petals darkened, and my eyes blurred…

Focus… FOCUS.

Then, dark, bloody red petals glowed after the pink petals, and then, the surroundings dimmed.

_It was over._

"Perfect," snake man murmured, smirking at my misery. My eyes rolled back.

_Not yet…_

"Beautiful, Ssssakura-hime." He said, then, stared at Sasuke.

"You'll come to me, Sssssasuke-kun." He smiled at me, tilting my head up as I saw my hair elongate until it touched the branch, turning to a dark color of onyx, a color not belonging to me.

_I'm becoming delusional. I'm slowly succumbing to this hateful darkness…_

"I'll wait for your submission, Sssssakura-hime."

My eyes cleared... looking past normal eyes, seeing.

_Golden eyes…a pair of them… Pupils… snake-like slits…_ kowai.

And he disappeared into thin air.

_Naruto!_

I turned my vision to Naruto, only to see the snake man doing something with his stomach, and then he fully vanished. I whirled to look at Sasuke, his beautiful face showing pain.

_Sasuke?_

"Sasuke-kun!!!" I screamed… but it sounded soft to my ears.

"Sa-sa…ku…ra."

I forced my legs to carry my weight.

I'm so tired... _So tired_…

Forcing a little chakra on my feet, I jumped from tree branch to another, my long black hair swaying with the wind.

My eyes were dropping… So exhausted.

_**Protect them… Let's protect them.**_

Even with my frail arms, I'll protect him.

"Sakura…" He sighed as I pulled him to my arms.

"Shh…" I lulled him. "It's over."

**O.**

**F. **

**H.A.R.U.N.O. **

**A.**

**N.**

**D. **

**O.F. **

U.C.H.I.H.A.

**Sasuke's POV**

"Sasuke-kun!!!" I heard Sakura scream. She's okay.

_Sheisokay_sheisokay_._

"Sa-sa…ku…ra." I croaked out as a new wave of intense pain shook me helpless. I gritted my teeth from the pain .

"Sakura." I repeated, as I felt her pull me in her arms. She's here. She's fine…

And she's so fragile.

I sighed.

"Shh…" she murmured, as another wave coursed through me, my eyes rolling to the back of my head, the darkness filling me. "It's over."

And then, darkness.

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

_**-**_

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

**_-_**

"_Sakura!" _a voice faded.

Who's calling out her name?

_Why is it in pain?_

Is Sakura alright?

I twitched as a set of horrible sounds filled my ear, buzzing annoyingly.

_Sobs_

Sakura?

She's… _crying?_

I felt a wave of anger replace the pain from my neck. My skin burned in anticipation.

Why… is she crying?

_Sakura's teeth grinded. _

Another set of sound filled my ears. Someone's punching her incessantly.

No… one… should hurt her.

_"No one will hurt you again, as long as I'm here, Sakura-chan." he grinned._

_"Will you... protect me?" He nodded. _

_Her face became determined. "Then say it! Say you would protect me."_

_He became silent. "I... will protect you."_

My eyes flew open, my anger seeping out of my body, spilling, and enhancing my energy.

Slowly, I stood up, my eyes focusing on the battered and tired form of Sakura.

_She must be _fighting_ as I _**sleep**_,_ looking out _as I_ **rest**_. _

_I was supposed to be _protecting _her._

My eyes narrowed, and I stepped out to meet Sakura's wide sharingan eyes.

"Who did this to you, Sa-ku-ra?" I drawled out through my teeth.

Purple chakra spilled everywhere… my anger radiated from me.

"I did." A moron answered.

"Sasuke-kun?"

I disappeared in a flash, and the rest of the scene blurred past me, like some madman was controlling me.

**"**_**Here is a power you wanted. Here is the power all yours."** _It hissed. _**"I can give to you. All you have to do is let anger consume you."**_

"Sasuke-kun!"

I pulled at the arms harder, pushing my foot further against the back of this ridiculous being. A satisfying sound of bones cracking filled my ears. It was music.

I thirsted for more.

"Yamete! Sasuke-kun, yamete!(stop)"

Sakura was calling out.

My eyes narrowed. _I'm protecting her. She should know that. _

I glared at the whimpering nin underneath me.

_He hurt her. No one is supposed to hurt her._

**"_Yes… YES! That's right! That's…_ perfect_!"_**

"Yamete…" Sakura whispered, and I realized that her dainty arms were wrapped around me. I stared back only to see her eyes, her… eyes…

Her liquid orbs were drowning with crystal tears.

_Don't cry._

Her beautiful eyes bruised and broken.

_I'll protect you._

Her arms tightened around me, and I stared at her suffering orbs.

_Don't strain yourself. _

_You're too- _

Her eyes faded to dull emerald, frozen to solid.

_-tired._

_..too tired._

Tranquility surged through me, and my eyes cleared.

"Sakura." I murmured.

A smile broke in her face as I gradually widened my vision to everything.

Everything was so… _imperfect._

I looked at the ones who had protected her, in place of me... even for just a second... or minute.

Then to the sound nins, whose leader's mouth was moving in controlled fear as we- Sakura and I-sank to the ground.

They disappeared, leaving a scroll.

Then, Naruto, the stupid,_ resting_ dobe, finally woke up, saying something… yet _nothing_.

I can't hear him as I stared at Sakura, who was _smiling_ at his comments.

Like _nothing _happened.

"-ra-chan? You cut your hair?"

Sakura daintily fingered her black hair.

"Yup. New style. It's more convenient." I narrowed my eyes.

Dobe scratched his head.

"Why is it black?"

Sakura's musical laughter echoed.

"I'm an Uchiha, after all."

"Forehead!"

"Yep?" She whipped her head in Yamanaka's direction.

"Here," Yamanaka murmured, drawing out her kunai, "Let me fix that for you… Ne…"

**SAKURA'S POV**

Ino positioned herself behind me, skillfully running the kunai on my hair. I closed my eyes at the comforting sound of my hair falling.

I bit my lip.

_**Pungent blood… on my lips… I can taste it…**_

_**It's… kowai…**_

I bit it harder this time, and sighed.

I opened my eyes, and a wave of dizziness enveloped me. I braced myself for another journey.

I raised my arms to see that they were thinning, mixing with the air.

The shimmering remains, the glittering dusts of my existence danced with the wind and I looked up to see that no one's paying attention, that no one's noticing how my subsistence gradually faded into nothingness. _I'm twinkelling to a dark abyss. _

I am becoming nothing. A traveler through time, aimlessly going to the future yet… cannot come back to the past to erase mistakes… to renew what was not supposed to be done.

And as I close my eyes, a vision entered my mind.

_Sasuke, kissing my forehead, coaxing me to sleep._

_Sasuke l_eaving_ the compounds._

_Me, stopping in front of him._

_Me, saying something I couldn't hear._

_Me, _crying_ as he_ disappeared.

_Sasuke, _whispering_ something in my ears._

I finally opened my eyes. And dreaded the future as I saw the exit of Konoha,** the exact duplicate of my vision.**

I am in the future of what had transpired in the Chuunin exams. I am in the future where Sasuke's leaving, just as the snake man- ah yes, was it Orochimaru?- had persuaded him to do so.

I am in the future, where my pleas were futile against Sasuke's lust for power.

_He promised to protect me... Was it so juvenile that he broke it?_

Tears spilled from my eyes as he disappeared.

_Futile._

I felt Sasuke's presence behind me.

"Sakura," he murmured. "Arigato."

**END OF CHAPTER.**

* * *

End notes:

**edited!** 2 more to go!!

Yatta!

* * *


	14. Chapter 14

"_Sakura," he murmured. "Arigato."_

* * *

"_Haaa…haaa…"_

_Why?_

**_Were we not enough?_**

_Am I not laudable?_

**_Are we too weak?_**

_Weak? _–laughs-_ Sou da yo... We're too weak that we can't even protect him… Can't..._

_Can't even save _him_…_

**_He's the reason we're living…_**

_The reason why I'm still here…_

**_Are we not worth it_****_?_**

_-_chuckles-

_We were never worth it…_

* * *

_I'm hurting... I'm hurting so much..._

_You're hurting me, breaking my heart, _

_You're tearing me apart..._

_letting my life vanish from the sight of my already blinded eyes_

_You chose to leave me…Even though—_

_--You said that you'll protect me._

**Chapter fourteen:**

**The breakdown**

* * *

_Why do all good things come to an end?_

* * *

**_Part one: Tenshi_**

**_1_**

**Normal POV**

"Sakura? Sakura!" Ino shook her _best _friend, a frantic frown placed on her delicate face. "Sakura, wake up! Where's Sasuke-kun?"

"Ino," Shikamaru sneered, "We all know that Uchiha left for Sound."

"Still!" Ino gritted her teeth, the hands around Sakura's shoulders tightening.

"Ino, stop it." Kakashi murmured.

Sakura moaned in pain as Kakashi gathered her in his arms like a father to a daughter.

"Ka-Kakashi…sen…sei." Sakura whispered. "Sa... Sasuke-kun"

"It's alright Sakura... Naruto will get him. I promi-"

"Promises are meant to be broken... Don't promise me something you're not sure yourself." Sakura said through her teeth, her eyes refusing to open because of the burning sensation surrounding it.

Kakashi sighed.

"Look, I know you can see through your Haru that Naruto won't be able to change Sasuke's mind, but..."

Kakashi paused to look at Sakura's scrunched up face, then to Ino, Shikamaru and a few other ANBUs.

"But his decision is yet to be final." he said, vanishing amongst the smoke with Sakura.

* * *

**Kakashi's POV**

Sakura and I disappeared, and after some while, we reappeared in the Hokage's office. I looked down to see that Sakura had fallen asleep in that short while.

Shizune rushed to our aid, taking Sakura from my arms.

She then placed her on a makeshift bed lying a few feet from the Hokage's table.

"Kakashi..." Tsunade murmured, her amber eyes flickering from me, to Sakura, then back. "What's the status of your mission?"

"Uchiha Sasuke... is being followed by Naruto's team, as you had assigned accordingly. Sakura Haruno Uchiha gained consciousness before I... delivered her here. Unfortunately, she fell asleep upon the seconds-long travel to here. She's been straining herself by not deactivating her Sharingan eyes. Her Haru seemed to have dissolved into the old-fashioned sear techniques."

Tsunade rubbed her temples. "The Uchihas and their fucked up fate."

I unconsciously tightened my hands into fists. "I'm taking Sakura Haruno-Uchiha in a medical custody, Hokage_-sama._"

Tsunade's eyes flashed to me.

"I don't see the need for that, _Jounin_." She murmured back darkly.

I bowed my head. "My apologies, for such... impudence. But, I have the right to do so, Godaime, considering that I am their sensei. I am the head of our _team seven, and they are my children _whomI promised to protect."

Tsunade's amber orbs hardened as she calculated what I have said. With pursed lips, she eyed the sleeping Haruno-Uchiha, then back at me.

"This would be an A-ranked mission, _jounin_." Tsunade started to say, retrieving a blank scroll and giving it to Shizune. The corner of my obscured lips twitched upwards as Shizune started to write the details Tsunade started saying.

"I expect your undivided focus to guard and _not_ let this child out of your sight. Reports have been passed, and it says that both Uchihas were given invitation by Orochimaru himself and I cannot and _would not_ afford to loose another potential shinobi just because she was left alone for a second."

My eyes flickered to Sakura as she stirred for a moment.

"Having sworn loyalty to Konoha, I expect, as well, that you wouldn't betray my trust and judgment. Such would not be tolerated by me. Understood?"

"Yes. Perfectly." I said politely, my attention focused wholly to the now waking kunoichi.

**Sakura's POV**

I groaned.

_Pain... So much pain..._

My eyes hurt soo much I don't think I can open it.

I don't want to open it.

_He left me._

I don't want to... because... what I want is that, when I actually open it, he's the first one I'll see...

When I actually open it, I'll realize that--

--That he's lying... when he said thank you so softly it sounded like a goodbye.

That he changed his mind, and remembered his promise.

_I promised not to leave him._

I'm hating what I am.

I'm hating what I do.

I'm hating what I _cannot _control.

_But..._

Why?

_Why?_

This question lingers in every corner of my mind... taunting me.

_Did he promise to not leave me?_

If only...

If only I could erase my past... renew it, just like what Itachi said to me.

However...

All I can do is go forward, and never back.

But...

I _have_ to...

I **need** to...

I _crave _to...

And I'll do so.

I opened my eyes in a flash, glowered at the new hokage, Shizune and Kakashi-sensei and watched as they froze under my gaze, and, in a few hand motions, I disappeared in a flash.

Destination?

_The Haruno estate._

**_2_**

**Normal POV**

Crystal tears gathered upon her tear ducts, blurring her vision as she traced an embroidery stitched against a fine cloth, her fingers tenderly brushing and tracing the patterns.

Love?

What is love indeed? Why do all her emotions, pent up or not, all thrown into a trash filled with worthless garbage?

Her heart is not a trash, but a complicated maze of feelings so warm and overwhelming. Her heart is but a treasure box to be cared and looked after for, not to be destroyed and... shattered into pieces, it is.

_Hayai-kun... _

Why did they take him away?

Why did they persecute him because of merely loving her and what their love created?

_S__akura..._

Why can't she come back?

Has her want diminished with time?

Has she grown up knowing that her only family is what is left of the clan?

Has she grown up to forget that what she is is a part of what Tenshi is?

"Sakura, why do you have to do this to me?" Tenshi cried, and her moans are but music to anyone's ears.

And though her eyes were red and puffy, her features are still as ethereal as it can be.

She closed her eyes, and as she opened it, pools of amethyst gathered, making her eyes glow so magnificently.

Carefully, then, had she scryed her daughter from the puddle of koi pond near her. There was nothing but darkness, and for once, she doesn't know what her daughter may be doing.

"Okaa-sama, is it?"

Tenshi's eyes widened, and slowly, ever so slowly, she stared at the darkest corner of her room, where a pair of crimson orbs glowed with apathy.

"Sa… kura?"

With a dainty step has her little princess took, a twitch in her lips as it shimmered against her milk white complexion. "It's been a long time."

**_3_**

Tenshi stared from across the room, to see that her daughter's intense orbs have been following her every move. She smiled bitterly at the fruitful knowledge in her eyes.

_She has grown so... so beautiful._

"You remembered."

Sakura chuckled bitterly.

"Who wouldn't remember their mother being taken away by dazzling creatures in a safe sanctuary when her husband and her daughter are being punished?" She sneered, her eyes flashing from purple, to crimson. "Intermarriage had always been the rule within the clan, so that the Sharingan may remain pure. They wouldn't tolerate half-bloods reproducing their own kind, now would they?"

"I wish... I wish you could understand..."

"It's too little too late, _mother._" Sakura drawled, her emotions tamed yet taunting. "Because I do not want to understand anything but my purpose."

Sakura then slammed her hands on the wooden floor, a creaking sound echoing across the room. "What I want to understand is how I could go back to the past, to change it."

"Sakura, you know you can't jus-"

"I know what I can't!" Sakura screamed impatiently, her orbs wide with desperation.

"I missed a LOT of my precious time skipping towards the future that I don't even know how it came to reality! I didn't even know what happened before that future! D-Didn't know what I could have done to-to avoid those... predicaments."

Tears smeared her cheeks.

"I'm so helpless. No one has taught me what to do, what I am capable of doing…" she pulled at her short black hair, her wide eyes blurred by the cascading tears. "How I was supposed to reach past those limitations and protect him? No one said what I was ought to carry out or even how I was ought to prevent him from becoming a monster through Orochimaru's hand."

Sakura's hands clutched her eyes and clawed it until it was covered with scratches and blood, and Tenshi could but hold her hands over her mouth to stifle the sobs that escaped her mouth as she stared helplessly at her child, wishing she could put her arms around her like a mother to a daughter.

"I saw it... I-It haunted me. I saw how... how he took over Sasuke... How he looked at my eyes through Sasuke's black, black orbs. It's... It's painful... like that. I'm so feeble."

"Sakura, my arms have always been open for _you._ But you didn't see it because they were obscured by that pathetic child who kept you from us because of his selfishness. I-I-"

"Stop it... Stop it..." Sakura said through her teeth. "Don't say that.... You can't! I-I... He was there for me when you have neglected me... There all along! We... We stood up together, fought our fate... But this time... he just can't. I wasn't there when he was soo confused. Wasn't there until I found my future self and retrieved the memories I have missed. I... I-"

"Love him?" Tenshi whispered with eyes wide. Sakura stiffened, her eyes frozen as she stared at her mother.

Suddenly, Tenshi smiled and raised her arms, coaxing her daughter to her warmth.

Sakura bit her lip and smiled.

**_4_**

"Past… is a history that couldn't be altered." Tenshi murmured softly in Sakura's ears. "Once, there was a powerful woman by the name of Haruno Junsei."

Sakura fingered her mother's pink tresses. "Perfect?"

"Yes, yes indeed. That was what her name means."

"What did she do?"

Tenshi chuckled at her very own junsei; pure, genuine, perfect.

"She went back to the past. For 2 long months she was gone, and when she came back," Tenshi's voice became octave lower. "Her eyes were but a blank pair of orbs, like it was replaying a scene over and over again. Soon, she died of anxiety and nervous breakdown."

"I want to go back."

"Sakura, we don't even know if we could change the past."

"I will."

"Sakura…"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." Sakura murmured. Tenshi took hold of her shoulders, and then kissed her on her forehead and both cheeks."

"I'll teach you, if that's the last thing that I could do."

Sakura's smile dazzled her. "Thank you."

A knock resounded in the whole room.

"Enter."

"Onee-sama, Okaa-sama wants to-" the speaker's eyes widened in disbelief. "Sakura-hime?"

Sakura stiffened. It was the woman who tried to separate us from Sasuke-kun.

Suddenly, she smiled menacingly, and then her head tilted in a curtsy.

"Konnichiwa, Oba-san." Sakura drawled; her grin so feral.

The woman's eyes narrowed, her beautiful orbs flashing purple. "Ah, hime-sama, you have decided to pursue the past?"

Sakura glared. "I believe it's none of your business."

"Well then," the woman burred back. "I'd be leaving now. Onee-sama, Okaa-sama wants to have your presence tonight at the tea room."

The door closed tenderly. Sakura turned to her mother.

"Ah, what a nice welcome from auntie-sama; I expected more."

Tenshi smiled.

"Your sear techniques are the same as Hana's. But hers is more polished. She is the type of Haruno, like you are, whose Haru allows her to randomly go to the future until the time that that one could control it. By that fact, your aunt can already send people to the future at a given period, then back again."

"Hm…" Sakura hummed smugly. "Sou ka."

Tenshi and Sakura suddenly shifted their amethyst eyes towards the other side of the koi pond.

"Sakura." Kakashi raised his arms towards Sakura. In a flash, Sakura gracefully landed in front of him, her eyes wild and her grin untamed.

"Kakashi-sensei."

Tenshi appeared next to them. "Kakashi."

Suddenly, Sakura's small hand delicately touched the palm of Kakashi, then her mother's.

Sakura's wild grin widened as a burst of red sakura petals surrounded them, and a vision of a meteor shower clouded their vision.

"Let the flames begin."

OF

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**_Part two: Hana_**

OF

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"Greetings, fair Sssasuke-kun." Orochimaru hissed pleasantly.

Sasuke grunted in response.

"I would like you to meet someone special." Orochimaru said as a blur materialized in between them, then formed into a woman whose height is not far from his.

Sasuke's eyes sharpened, a snarl forming in his throat as his eyes met luscious pink hair.

The woman twirled around to give Sasuke a taunting smile.

"Ah, Sasuke-kun, it's nice to finally see you again." She practically sang out, and her beautiful voice echoed in the room.

"You." He replied with narrowed eyes.

"Ah, how impolite of me. My name is…" she paused, sauntering towards Sasuke to play with his hair. "Haruno Hana."

**End of Chapter**

**End notes:**

Erm… Last chapter on the go! Um… I don't know if it would be the last, I'll see for myself then. :D

See ya! Please review.

Hey, this chappie is to be edited.

Some scenes may change, though. Not

**_To Yu-onii:_**

**_Yeah, yeah, i sortakinda know she wouldn't be able to read this but, yeah, thanks so much. Love ya!_**

**_:D_**

_**To you!**_

Yup, Of Haruno and Of Uchiha is nearing its end and I wish you'll still be with me till the end

-ish. Nyway, I have a on shot collection entitled When Darkness Turns to Light... or something... yeah. Check it. :D


	15. Chapter 15

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

_She won't make a sound__  
Alone in this fight with herself and the fears whispering if she stands she'll fall down__  
She wants to be found__  
The only way out is through everything she's running from wants to give up and lie down._

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

**Chapter fifteen: **

_**Lost**_

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

_Forever alone in the dark_

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

"Come back to me." Emerald eyes met flaming red Sharingan orbs. "Come back when it's all crashing down."

"I know."

"Do not make Hana-imouto's mistake, nor should you let this," Tenshi touched her eyes that eventually glowed purple as she smiled, "destroy you."

"I know."

"Come back." Tenshi whispered, and she watched as Sakura, with a small crooked smile, disappear in a swirl of _red _Sakura petals, her eyes flashing purple and red.

"_Come back."_

"I—_zzzt_—wi_…zzt_-ll."

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

_**oOo**_

To reach the past, completion is a must for being whole is a necessity to break through time's boundaries and through the history already written in the book of life, a history not meant to be altered anymore.

_**oOo**_

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

"Hmmm.. This is going to be pretty hard. Now watch out, pretty boy, you've only got two months."

"Hn."

Hana's eye twitched. "Seriously, what's with the scroll? It's been long burned into ashes."

Karin flipped her hair.

"Maybe that's why Sasuke-kun wanted to go back to the past. You know, to get it while it's still in tact!" she sneered.

Hana flicked her forehead. "Shut your freaking trap, four-eyes, or you're going to get _it_."

Karin pouted, and then latched her arms around Sasuke's neck. "Sasuke-kuuun! This bitch is being mean!"

"Get off, Karin." Sasuke grunted. Karin batted her lashes.

"You sure you don't want me to come with you, darling?" she cooed ineffectively.

"Get your own piece of Haruno then, you stupid whore." Hana pointed out.

Karin's hair was set aflame when Hana heard her muttering_, 'weak bitch'._

"DAMN YOU!" Karin hollered, trying to put out the flames.

"Aw, you're sooo sweet, hag." Hana smirked.

"Stop."

"Yes, Sasuke-sama."

"Start."

"Yes, Sasuke-sama." Hana repeated and raised her hand in a single seal.

"Now listen, at exactly two months, you shall be able to return here in after five minutes our time. Kapish?"

"Hn."

"See ya!" she smiled as she let her hands make contact with each other, and as the first signs of meteor shower reached his vision, soft pink petals engulfed him.

_Then he was gone._

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

_**--Fast Forward--**_

Ten years' lapse

A swirl of bloody red petals enclosed a seemingly dainty figure, before bursting to reveal a 15 year old black-haired, purple eyed beauty.

Staring at the creatures made from combined chakra and ink, she smirked.

"Hello, Sai." she said, nodding.

"Hag," Sai smirked, raising his arms in welcome. "You have come as you have once predicted, 4 years ago."

A piercing scream resounded in her ears. Sai looked at the red sky.

"Hear it."

_Hear it, hear it. _

_The sound you'll create. _

_You won't escape from me, never ever. _

_Watch me, watch me. I'll kill everyone. _

Sakura's eyes glowed amethyst. Sai smiled his smile before his monsters lifted him and they vanished in his own ink.

_IamyouYouareme._

"_Don't worry… we belong together. We are one halves of a whole. No shame, _shame_."_

A duplicate of her(**1**) shrill laughter haunted her, her voice still echoing in her head.

Suddenly, her eyes cleared, and she saw her other half, her _broken_ half, appear in a burst of **black** Sakura petals.

Sakura's eyes narrowed as she glared at her ruined half.

* * *

**SAKURA'S POV**

I glared fiercely before raising my hands to form a seal. And no, I'm not going to have another time travel just because I already know how to control it…

No, I am going to…

"Kai."

Let this illusion… fade away, dissolve.

"_Hora, hora."_ I looked up, but her mouth never opened.

Telepathy?

She pursed her lips tightly for a moment.

"_You really wanted to see a nightmare, don't you?" _

Her eyes curved cheerfully as she laughed cunningly, and I watched as the façade she had put up, her illusion, slowly die away. It revealed what she had said.

_A nightmare._

I bit the insides of my cheeks to prevent myself from wincing.

This is Konoha… A Konoha painted with nightmare. The scent of dried blood clouded my senses. Tongues of fire erupted everywhere, and corpses hang all over the place.

This is the perfection of Hell, this is the apocalypse.

My gaze went back to the future Sakura as she went aloft, gracefully twirling in the air.

_What shall I come to? What shall I become?_

_Is this what I'll be?_

"_See this?" _she laughed melodiously. _"This is our dream! Oh, a dream-come-true… This is to mask everything they have done! They trapped us and killed us inside out and now look!"_

Her long black hair slithered like a snake around her. _"We became perfect! We can never be a disgrace anymore!"_

She laughed merrily.

_She's mad. _I thought to myself. Suddenly, a pain erupted in my head.

"_Oh no, no!"_ she screeched in my head._ "We're not mad! We've just obtained a new level of thinking. We became geniuses!"_

Something shifted, and I turned my eyes to where she pointed her arms. She sent a child, a live child hurling towards our direction only to stop in between us. The child whimpered in fear.

"_My, my. You, darling, are very brilliant with my game. Pity, pity, I caught you in my time of blood lust."_

She stared at me with dark purple eyes, then licked her lips as she shifted her gaze to the shaking child in between us. _"Sayonara."_

The child exploded and her blood became a rain—no, a blood shower that enveloped the tainted ground. I flinched as droplets of the red fluid touched my skin.

"_So beautiful!"_

I pursed my lips. My eye twitching in disgust.

"I came to gain completion." I stated. Her now red eyes lifted to look at me.

_That girl is not me._

"_Ehhh…"_ the girl pondered. _"Ah, yes! I remember! What an ironic déjà vu. That's what I _had_ said then!"_

She giggled, and I watched as she licked the blood on her fingers.

"_Oh well, my end has come. It's your turn now." _She mused_._

She skipped towards me, smiling her sly smile.

"I won't turn to be like this." I stated defiantly. Her shrill laughter hurt my ears as she then poked my forehead.

"_Oh, believe me. I said that too when I went to the future with the same reason. And look!" _The future Sakura twirled. _"It's exactly the opposite."_

"Shut up!" I snarled. She giggled.

"_I am you… You are me…"_ She skipped gracefully. _"We are..."_

"_Two halves of a whole."_ She whispered, taking my hands in hers, smearing my hands with the child's blood.

Her eyes became white… blank… vacuous, and, as it glowed, the earth around us erupted in a wild fire, swallowing what was left of the nothingness she created, making this world an absolute epitome of destruction.

This is the Konoha I shall destroy… but why? What happened?

I closed my eyes, as I felt her enter my consciousness_._

_Two halves of a whole…_

_I wouldn't let this happen. _

And then, a prickling sensation shook my skin. I took a breath, then--

--Rewind—

_I entered the past._

_O_

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_12 YEARS PAST FROM THE FUTURE_

I opened my eyes and flinched as bright lights hit my face. I yawned, and in mid-stretching, I shot up from my bed and grabbed my face.

It's… quite childish, actually, my features that is.

I grabbed my long, _pink_ hair, and then grinned.

Washing my face and changing my clothes –_oh how I miss these clothes!—_I run outside then turned right, towards the kitchen.

I saw Sasuke-kun, eating his beloved tomatoes.

"Ohayo, Sasu-kun!" I screamed.

_I could finally live out my life completely. I can prevent things from happening… I can alter the future…_

"Ruka." He nodded in greeting, a smirk on his face as he bit off his tomato.

"Ne, Sasu-kun, what date is it to-" I paused, shocked as I stared at his blank black eyes.

Tears gathered in my eyes.

His eyes looked so empty… And for a second I thought I saw a _film strip_ running through it.

I shook my head.

_That's impossible, ne?_

"-day?" I swallowed a lump on my throat.

_**((Sakura: Ne, Sasu-kun, I'm on diet today… only! Not gonna eat breakfast! **__**(Sticks out her tongue)**__**-))**_

He didn't answer me yet he nodded, and as if going by a script, he stood up and ruffled my hair. Just like every morning then.

"Make sure you eat later. We're gonna be late for training."

_**((Sakura: Yahoo! (**__**Pumps fist into the air; grin)**__**-))**_

I bit my lip. "Yeah…"

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

I leaned against the railing, and saw Sasuke do the same.

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan!"

I turned to see Naruto. "Ohayo, Naru-"

_**((Sakura: Psh. **__**(Cross arms; turn away; hide a soft smile forming)**__**-))**_

He pouted and turned to Sasuke. "Yo teme! I'm gonna beat you senseless."

_**((Sakura: Ew, Naruto! That came out wrong! Are you homo?! **__**(Laughs)**__**-))**_

"No way!" Naruto screamed, backing off. I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion.

"Hn. Dobe." Sasuke smirked.

"Dammit, stop calling me that!"

Sasuke held a kunai against his throat. "Don't talk trash with Sakura around."

My lips trembled. _What in hell's name is happening?_

"Whatever, teme!" he turned to me. "Sakura-chan, go out with me!"

_**((Sakura: Eh? You never give up do you? **__**(Wicked grin; fist up; after 6 seconds, punch Naruto)**__**-))**_

I pouted, and was about to yell when he suddenly plummeted into the ground with an unknown force.

My eyes widened when he said, "Ow Sakura-chan! No need to be so mean--Ow! ow!"

I stood frozen on my spot as I watched Naruto being punched by something I couldn't see.

I almost sobbed when Sasuke commented a, "Good job, Ruka."

_Was I supposed to play that role? Am I meant to follow that day's script? Can't I change it?_

I pulled at my hair.

_What's happening? It's like I'm watching a video recorded a long time ago… That I'm no longer a participant but a mere spectator… Oh god no! Don't tell me…_

I formed several hand seals.

"Sear style: Time congeal technique."

My eyes shifted to a solid jade, then, time stopped.

I sank to my knees, hugging them as I bury my face in my arms.

_No… No..no_no_no_no_!_

_Flashback:_

"_What did she do?"_

_Tenshi chuckled at her very own junsei; pure, genuine, perfect._

"_She went back to the past. For 2 long months she was gone, and when she came back," Tenshi's voice became octave lower. "Her eyes were but a blank pair of orbs, like it was __replaying a scene over and over again. __Soon, she died of anxiety and nervous breakdown."_

_End of Flashback_

_Is this why we are forbidden to return to the past? Is it because it cannot be altered anymore?_

I sobbed miserably.

_Kami-sama… no…_

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

Uchiha Sasuke

"Hn." I picked up the scroll that I easily retrieved. I stared at the nins guarding the scroll and wondered why they didn't stop me from getting it.

_Probably it's because no one is getting the scroll by _this_time__. Che. Let them follow their worthless script._

I smirked, walking away from this rotting mess.

Finally reaching a few miles, I stopped and closed my eyes as the base where I was awhile ago got swallowed with fire.

_So this is how the scroll burned? Pathetic._

I shut my eyes close as the first signs of sunlight peaked in the horizon.

_As long as I'm not part of this past, I could relax and watch scenes unfold. That's the least I could do before two months end._

I smirked.

_For now, I'll pay Konoha a little visit._

_**-sasusaku-**_

It took me exactly three days to reach the borders itself, and another day to reach the hidden village.

Running a hand through my hair, I opened the gates and nonchalantly walked through.

Everyone is busy doing morning chores. No one is paying attention.

Scanning through the crowd, I finally broke into a run towards the team seven's training ground.

_Was I supposed to play that role? Am I meant to follow that date's script? Can't I change it?_

I abruptly stopped on my tracks.

'_Was that Sakura?' _I pursed my lips. _'I wasn't supposed to be affected by the past, not supposed to have any connection at all.'_

Sharpening my eyes into Sharingan, I saw red chakra petals leaking throughout the place, matching Sakura's current moon.

_What's happening? It's like I'm watching a video recorded a long time ago… That I'm no longer a participant but a mere spectator… Oh god no! Don't tell me…_

I reached the bridge as quietly as I could. I saw Sakura pulling her hair before forming hand seals.

_This is not good._

The commas on my Sharingan spun, and for a moment, I saw a chakra field. I sauntered towards it before I get caught in the stupid time freeze. This happened years ago, too.

_Flashback:_

_The glow that her body released increased tenfold. As of now, hot neon green aura enveloped the whole room._

_It was so strong, that everything around the place neglected the rule of gravitation._

_Sasuke felt himself channeling more chakra to his feet more than necessary._

"_Sa…su—ke…kun." Her eyes were swirling with Sharingan and Haru. Sasuke bit his lip as he stared at her condition._

_She was drifting in the air, her feet merely a foot above the ground. Her mismatched eyes were darting from one location to another, as if searching for something. Her body was focusing chakra in its respective opening, forming sharp appearance that ferociously releases itself only to hit anything on its way, creating fissures and depressions on the whole room._

_Sasuke scowled, as he tried to dodge the sharp chakra discharged from her body._

"_Sakura!" he called out. "Sakura, stop it, dammit!!"_

_He growled as she seemed unaware to anything at all as of present, chanting his name and Naruto's._

_He looked around. __'Someone should at least have noticed this.'_

"_Sakura! Stop it!" he growled, stepping closer to her. His sharp eyes then notice the broken door and his eyes widened in incredulity._

_Just outside the door, two medic nins, who seemed to be talking animatedly to each other, were… frozen. The surrounding was like a canvas, everything was frozen by time except the room where they are._

'_Time… stopped.'_

_End of Flashback._

'_As long as I'm in that circle, I'll be unaffected.'_

I watched as her jutsu traveled around the whole place.

_Is this why we are forbidden to return to the past? Is it because it cannot be altered anymore?_

Her voice rang in my head.

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

_**oOo**_

"_Sasuke-sama, when we stop time, the chants of the jutsu travels in a specific distance depending on the strength of the chakra used. After it reached its goal point, it sends back a signal to the one who used the jutsu before it takes a full effect. We have a sear field, that looks like a magnetic field around us, and that is where the chants will bounce up."_

_**oOo**_

"_Remember, we do not have absolute control over time. The sear field is our protection against our own spells."_

_**oOo**_

_**--------------------------------sasusaku------------------------------**_

"Kuso." I muttered as I finally pumped chakra to my feet.

Finally, I entered the sear field seconds before an earsplitting scream resounded in my ears, signaling the 'bounce back'.

I sighed.

_Close. _

I shoved my hands in my pockets.

Raising my eyes, I saw Sakura freeze on her spot before her wide, shocked amethyst orbs met mine.

"_Sa…su-kun?" _she muttered, disbelief crossing her features. Her purple eyes turned emerald as tears flooded her eyes. My lips twirched upwards.

"Ruka."

* * *

The days's script... To followthe book of life:

Sakura: wakes up; washes face; changes clothes; run towards the kitchen

Sasuke: eats tomato; smirks at Sakura

Sakura_: Ohayo, Sasu-kun!_

Sasuke: _Ruka. _Nods; smirks; eats tomato

Sakura:_ Ne, Sasu-kun, I'm on diet today… only! Not gonna eat breakfast!_ Sticks out her tongue.

Sasuke: _Make sure you eat later. We're gonna be late for training. _

Sakura:_Yahoo!_ Pumps fist into the air; grin

Sasuke and Sakura: walks towards the bridge; leans on the railings afterwards

Naruto: arrives

Naruto: _Ohayo, Sakura-chan!_

Sakura: _Psh._ Cross arms; turn away; hide a soft smile forming

Naruto: pouts; turns to Sasuke _Yo teme! I'm gonna beat you senseless!_

Sakura:_ Ew, Naruto! That came out wrong! Are you homo?!_ laughs

Naruto: _No way! _Backs off

Sasuke: smirks _Hn. Dobe._

Naruto: _Dammit, stop calling me that!_

Sasuke: Rushes to Naruto; pointing a kunai against throat _Don't talk trash with Sakura around._

Naruto: _Whatever, teme! _Turns to Sakura _Sakura-chan, go out with me!_

_**End of page one of two**_

**_END OF CHAPTER._**

**tbc**

**(1) words such as her that is underlined pertains to the future Sakura.**

**End notes:**

Ok, so I decided that I'll just add the last chapter soon and probably an epilogue.

This was supposed to be the last chapter but… I kinda got too excited since term test's finally over.

Thanks for the Note's replies.

Oh well, Happy Ending it is then. _Sigh._

Nyway, Happy Holidays, guys.

Hoped you enjoyed.

Nyway, this is gonna be edited sooner if not later.

:D

Ja ne

Hugs 'n' kisses,

Kaoru Masachika


	16. AN: dIS WIL B DELETED DON'T REVIEW dis

**Author's note:**

okay, so it's finally replaced!

There you have the 15th chapter. Hope you enjoyed!

Happy Holidays, everyone.

:P don't forget to leave a review for the said chappie!

Hugs 'n' kisses,

Kaoru Masachika


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